In one of her first acts as Premier, Jacinta Allan has dumped the crucial manufacturing industry from her new cabinet.
Manufacturing is a $30 billion dollar industry in Victoria, employing hundreds of thousands of Victorians in new and emerging businesses, but Jacinta Allan and Labor simply do not care about the future of manufacturing in Victoria.
The Liberals and Nationals have proudly stood side by side with Victorian manufacturers, dedicating a Shadow Minister to this portfolio for years.
After omitting this crucial industry from its priorities for years, the Andrews Government introduced a Minister for Manufacturing Sovereignty after the 2022 election.
Yet only 10 months after the election, Jacinta Allan has decided that manufacturing is no longer a priority for the Labor Government.
Shadow Minister for Manufacturing, Bridget Vallence, said this was a slap in the face to the tens of thousands of manufacturing businesses and workers in Victoria.
“Victorian manufacturing businesses employ over 200,000 Victorians, yet it’s clear Jacinta Allan and her Labor Government no longer care about manufacturing in Victoria.”
“Allan may be a new Premier, but it is the same old Labor Government that does not care about the important contribution manufacturing makes to the Victorian economy and the jobs it creates.”
“The Liberals and Nationals are committed to bringing back manufacturing, making Victoria the engine room of manufacturing in Australia.”
