Michael O'Connor, national secretary of the the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union - Manufacturing Division, says a picture of one of Australia's now-closed textile and clothing giants reminded him of what has disappeared in Australian manufacturing, and why it's important to fight for what's left.
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"I saw a photograph of a room full of sewing machinists at Warrnambool's giant clothing manufacturer Fletcher Jones," Mr O'Connor told The Courier.
"There was an unbelievable commitment to the community of Warrnambool by the company in the amount of jobs they provided, and even in the beautiful gardens still there.
"And when I looked at it, lots of towns in Victoria came into my mind and how they had thriving manufacturing. Some of it was heavy manufacturing too, which meant there was not just processing jobs but tradespeople's jobs, jobs for mechanics or metal workers, for sparkies, for plumbers, and it drove all those trades in those country towns and trade businesses."
The economic, political and philosophical decision to end tariff protection in Australia in the 1980s and 90s, and the liberalisation of free trade, dealt a blow to Australian manufacturing from which it has never recovered.
There was a period in Australia from the 1920s until the 1960s where it seemed Australia made everything, and everything was proudly stamped 'Australian-made'.
After the gold boom, which lasted longer in Ballarat than elsewhere, subsequent manufacturing booms gave rise to the belief Australia could stand and provide for itself in the Southern Hemisphere.
Some of the free trade agreements we've got are crazy. I'm not sure everyone believes in some of the free trade stuff that's put about, except, it seems, some of our politicians.
- Michael O'Connor, CFMEU-Manufacturing national secretary
Victoria, and regional Victoria, was a stronghold. Twelve per cent of the gross state product came from the manufacturing sector in the 1960s, much of it from the country towns.
Ploughs, boots, tools, firearms, machinery, wirelesses, cars, tractors, trucks, aluminium products from cookware to boats, hardware, white and electrical goods including televisions, glass, textiles, prefab houses, tyres, ships, aeroplanes, foods, light globes... it was possible to enter an Australian home at the the end of the 1950s and not find anything which wasn't made locally.
It was unashamedly protectionist, born of the White Australia Policy and a fierce commitment to 'European labour', fuelled by the experience of isolation through two world wars.
By the 1960s manufacturing had hit a peak in Australia. It was responsible for roughly 28 per cent of our gross domestic product, and also 28 per cent of overall employment. (Today it's at 5 per cent.)
Australia was not a great exporter of its finished products - wool, meat and mining were king - but manufacturing was alive and well, thanks to tariffs on imports. It did mean Australians paid more for things. The average wage for a male factory worker in 1950 was £296 3s 7d; for a female £146 18s 4d. A new Holden cost around £1000; fridges and electrical goods were equally dear.
Outside of Melbourne every country centre, from the major cities like Ballarat to tiny towns, had manufacturing industries.
Ballarat was the second largest city in Victoria until 1936, when Geelong outgrew it. Maryborough was a top ten manufacturer until 1966.
Driven by the massive Ballarat North rail works, the Phoenix foundry, the Sunnyside mills and other major employers, employment in Ballarat's manufacturing matched the national level at almost 30 per cent.
Clothing and footwear makers like Lucas and Olivers were at their peak, alongside flour mills, printing works, brickmaking, bicycle building and a myriad of other businesses contributing to the manufacturing economy.
The decision to open the Australian economy in the late 80s and the 90s, trying to make it internationally competitive and meet APEC and WTO requirements for free trade, also meant rationalisation, downsizing and the closure of industry.
Michael O'Connor says the fallout for workers from those economic decisions is still felt today in the regions.
It's exacerbated by the ravages of COVID, he says, but Australia's poor efforts within the free trade agreements it has entered have damaged workers.
"We're seen as really naive negotiators," Mr O'Connor says.
"Some of the free trade agreements we've got are crazy. I'm not sure everyone believes in some of the free trade stuff that's put about, except, it seems, some of our politicians."
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