Anne Stanley (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It's with great disappointment that I rise to join with the member for Macarthur to advise the House of the closure of the Ingleburn mill, as it is a dreadful loss for the manufacturing industry in Australia. On Tuesday night, the Treasurer had the gall to stand in this place and claim the economy was working for everyday Australians. I would like to see him say that to the 220 workers who have just lost their jobs on this government's watch. Yesterday the textiles manufacturer Kimberly-Clark laid off its entire Western Sydney workforce. Their jobs will go to overseas workers in Asia. In just 12 weeks these 220 workers will no longer have jobs to go to, no longer have the security, stability and satisfaction of a hard day's work. We are seeing another example, under the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government, of hundreds of Australians losing secure, decent jobs. I stand with the CFMMEU when they say that this is a devastating blow for workers across Australia. How will Australian mums and dads know that essential products like nappies are made to Australian safety standards when these jobs are marching offshore on the government's watch?

I will look forward to meeting with representatives from Kimberly-Clark next week to discuss the decision. In the meantime, my thoughts are with the Kimberly-Clark employees and their families who have given so much to this company.

See this speech in context