The union representing pulp and paper workers, CFMEU Manufacturing, wants the Prime Minister Scott Morrison to direct his Ministers to require their departments source Australian-made paper. Source: Timberbiz
The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has one of the strongest track records of all Departments of sourcing Australian-made paper and the union is putting it down to the PM.
But the union is furious that the percentage of Australian-made paper purchased by Commonwealth agencies plummeted to 30% during the Covid-19 jobs crisis last year.
“We acknowledge that the Prime Minister has already shown leadership by ensuring his Department buys Australian-made paper” Michael O’Connor, National Secretary CFMEU Manufacturing said.
“We think he can show even more leadership by directing his Ministers to ensure their Departments buy Australian made like his Department does.
“Buying Australian made paper instead of importing it all from Indonesia like many Departments did last year supports jobs and is in line with community expectations.”
As part of a new campaign “Back Our Jobs- Buy Our Paper”, union members at Gippsland’s largest private sector employer Opal Australian Paper have been emailing Mr Morrison.
Union members are furious that at a time when they were taking enforced leave due to a drop in domestic sales that big Government Departments were sourcing paper from Indonesia.
The most Senior Victorian MP in the Morrison Government Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is also being sent emails.
Mr Frydenberg’s Department of Treasury has one of the poorest records of all Government agencies with just 7% of their paper being Australian made in 2018-19 and 2019-20 and them procuring no Australian made this financial year according to available figures.
“We know that every ream of Australian made paper purchased supports Australian jobs and every ream imported from Indonesia damages Australian jobs,” Mr O’Connor said.
“Treasurer Frydenberg is in charge of the economic recovery so must order his Department to buy Australian made like the PM’s Department does”.
