Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the light of Ford's announcement to cease its vehicle and engine manufacturing operations in Broadmeadows and Geelong from 31 October 2016, I want to note the passing of an iconic employer with deep historical roots in my electorate and in my local community. Much will be said about the closure of Ford's production line and the impact it will have on the future of manufacturing jobs in both my electorate and in Australia generally. But I want to voice my profound disappointment with this decision and tonight pay tribute to the many people in my electorate who have worked at Ford since it was opened in Broadmeadows by Sir Henry Bolte in 1959. Thousands have worked at Ford in the last 54 years. It has been a diverse, committed and faithful workforce. In many instances, second and third generations of families have worked at Ford.

I would like to share the reflections of two of my constituents who themselves were long-term Ford employees of days passed and now, of course, are retired—Andrea Zariogiannis from Campbellfield and Yusuf Saad from Coolaroo. They, like many thousands of migrants, became part of an extended family at Ford, who found a nurturing work environment where co-workers became lifelong friends and neighbours in an era of Melbourne's north which became a settlement for new and emerging migrant communities, so much so that the growth of suburbs such as Broadmeadows and Craigieburn can be attributed to people moving into the area to work at Ford. Andrea, having migrated from his native Greece, began work at Ford as an electrical repairman before becoming a health and safety representative and then a senior shop steward with the Vehicle Builders Union, eventually retiring after 32 years of service.

Ford was also a love story for Andrea, who met his wife Vicky on the production line. The two married and had two children. Andrea's son, Bill, still works at Ford in the engineering department and the entire family drives Ford vehicles—always has, always will, he tells me. Andrea recalls:

There were more than 67 different nationalities at Ford … Lots of Italians, Greeks, Turks, and Vietnamese. Management ran different programs to teach us English, they understood English was our second language.

Yusuf Saad worked at Ford for 39 years before his retirement. He arrived from Lebanon with his wife and two children. He said:

Ford is like my home. I spent three quarters of my time there. My friend got me a job there and I helped my other friends get jobs there. I know people who have worked there for 47 and 50 years, we worked like a family.

I attended Yusuf's retirement party a few years ago. It was a big event attended by colleagues from the factory floor, union secretaries and, of course, management. All turned out to farewell the man with the immaculately groomed moustache.

With the growth of Ford's importance as an employer and with a workforce steadily growing to peak at about 5,000, supporting new migrants and their families, it was no surprise that Ford also became the first employer to support a multicultural childcare centre for its workers. This initiative was born from a vision of the Ford shop stewards from the Vehicle Builders Union and its realisation was ably and passionately led by my good friend, Frank Argondizzo, and developed into a partnership between Ford Australia, the Broadmeadows Migrant Resource Centre and the local community.

Through union negotiations, led by Frank and his shop stewards, the childcare centre was built on Ford land with a peppercorn lease. The Broadmeadows Multicultural Early Learning Centre was officially opened in 1988 by the then Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon. Bob Hawke. The founding director of the centre was Helen Patiskatheodorou and the first management committee was made up of Ford shop stewards, community members and parents. The Vehicle Builders Union and, in particular, the Ford shop stewards, continued to support the centre from its inception, ensuring that money was allocated to the service through their enterprise bargaining agreements. The centre provided access to much needed child care for Ford employees, especially those who had to work on weekends.

Ford's 20th anniversary in 1979 saw Henry Ford II, grandson of the company's founder, visit Australia to launch the XD Falcon. The XD Falcon was the fourth generation Falcon built at Broadmeadows and featured plastic bumpers and a plastic fuel tank, a world first for a mass produced vehicle. The X-series Falcon went on to be the bestselling car in Australia by 1982.

In 2009, I attended the 50th anniversary celebrations. It was a major milestone for the Broadmeadows plant, vastly different to the greenfield site built in 1959. At the time Ford Australia announced that it would invest $230 million in the development of three new engine technologies. On Thursday 23 May 2013, Ford announced that it would cease its production lines in Geelong and Broadmeadows, and although it will maintain its engineering and design capacity, it has in fact now chartered a new direction which sees the end of an era in Australia. It is a sad occasion indeed for all, especially for the people of my electorate.

Question agreed to.

House adjourned at 22 : 28