Printing Industries has called an urgent meeting with Victorian State Government representatives in response to government moves to outsource its print work overseas.
The move was revealed last week as the Victorian Government confirmed it would be shifting to a print management system to rationalise and standardise its print procurement estimated at between $15-25 million annually.
Printing Industries Victorian Regional President, Ray Keen, said the government’s stated position of opening print tenders to US based suppliers was an outrageous blow to local industry and could cost the Victorian economy millions of dollars and countless jobs.
“The government has tried to justify opening its tenders to US companies on the basis of Australia’s Free Trade Agreement with the US,” he said.
“If this is the justification they are using, then it follows that the tenders will also be opened to companies in Thailand, Singapore and New Zealand because we have Free Trade Agreements with them also.
“China and Malaysian FTAs are currently under negotiation by the Federal Government and will likely be approved, so where does it all end? This is the beginning of the end for Victorian manufacturing and the Victorian economy. Thousands of jobs are at risk if this is allowed to happen,” Mr Keen said.
Representatives from Printing Industries Victorian Region will meet with Department of Premier and Cabinet representatives on Thursday 15 June to put the industry case against overseas outsourcing.
The will be followed by a government briefing of “interested parties” in relation to the print management tender on Friday, 16 June 2006 from 2.30 pm at the Treasury Theatre, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne. Attendees must register beforehand via e-mail: pmc.tender@dpc.vic.gov.au giving their name, title and the company they represent.
Printing Industries representatives will attend this session and encourage all interested and concerned printers to also attend.
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