HERALDSUN.COM.AU TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2015 NEWS 09

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THE Australian car industry might be dying but it is definitely not going to go quietly.

Holden’s fast-car divisionis poised to add supercharged V8 power across most of its line-up to farewell the Commodore on a high note.

While Holden sales are at21-year lows, V8 sales are up and now account for more than one-third of all Commodores sold.

affordable models in its range because, later this year, Holden will fit to Commodore SS models the Corvette V8 that was previously exclusive to the HSV range.

But GTS owners will stillretain bragging rights, as HSV is understood to be capping the power of the LSA on the other models — ensuring the GTS remains the flagship. The GTS Maloo

HSV OFFERS SUPERCHARGED SALUTEWith enthusiasts driving

demand, Holden Special Vehicles will by the end of theyear fit the supercharged V8 — previously reserved for the $100,000 flagship GTS sedan and GTS Maloo ute — to its Clubsport sedan and wagon, and the regular Maloo ute.

HSV has been forced to introduce the 6.2-litre LSA supercharged V8 to the more

JOSHUA DOWLING

Foreignofficials‘let off’POLICE have sought thewaiver of diplomatic immunityfor foreign embassy staff fivetimes in the past two years.

But data provided to theHerald Sun reveals that severalofficial requests went unans-wered, allowing misbehavingforeign officials to avoid poten-tial prosecution and continueto work in Australia.

Under Australian and inter-national law, foreign consularstaff cannot be interviewed bypolice without a waiver fromtheir own government.

On one occasion Australianauthorities sought a waiver ofdiplomatic immunity to allowthe provision of CCTV footage.

The latest data follows therecent release, under Freedomof Information laws, of docu-ments detailing a further 10cases between 2010 and 2012 inwhich waivers were sought.

In two of the more seriouscases — one involving an act ofindecency and the other an as-sault — the Department ofForeign Affairs and Tradesought from the relevant for-eign missions a revocation ofdiplomatic immunity.

But the department did notreceive any response.

MORE than 13,000 jobs werelost in Victoria’s battlingmanufacturing sector duringthe past two years.

New figures reveal the in-dustry copped a 15 per centdrop in employment — theworst of any state or territory— amid the Federal Govern-ment’s tough approach to in-dustry bailouts, a high dollarand sluggish economy.

Across Australia the manu-facturing sector employmentfell by 6 per cent, with Tas-mania and South Australiafalling 9 per cent.

Car companies Ford,Holden and Toyota startedphasing out assembly in thattime — with Victoria’s trans-port manufacturing sectordropping from 33,930 peopleemployed in July 2012 to28,786 in July last year.

Figures from the AustralianBureau of Statistics yesterdayshowed textile and footwearworkers were also hit hard,

“It’s frightening when Vic-toria is soon to overtake Syd-ney with population, that allthe ecosystems to support cars,ships are here but the jobs areevaporating,” Mr Kelly said.

“We’ve had Alcoa hangingon by its fingernails and thesector here has missed out onthe fruits of the mining boom.”

Mr Kelly said the environ-ment of historically low inter-est rates should see all levels ofgovernment supporting localmanufacturing.

More than 254,000 Victori-ans were directly employed inmanufacturing as of last July,while around 879,000 havejobs in the sector nationwide.

Victorian Industry MinisterLily D’Ambrosio said the joblosses were “disappointing butnot surprising”.

“Tony Abbott does not careabout these workers,” she said.“The previous Liberal govern-ment did nothing for them.”

At least one federal Cabinet

minister recently privatelyraised expressed concerns athis Government’s “completelack of a plan” for the manu-facturing industry.

Federal Opposition em-ployment spokesman BrendanO’Connor said the AbbottGovernment had “turned itsback on manufacturing”.

A spokesman for IndustryMinister Ian Macfarlane saidthe job-loss figures highlightedthe fact that Victorian manu-facturers were facing chal-lenges “due to a range of globaleconomic factors”.

He said the Governmenthad committed more than$200 million in innovation andinvestment fund.

“The Government is takinga measured, strategic and long-term approach to supportingthe transition of manufactur-ing in order to help find oppor-tunities among the challengesand create new jobs,” he said.rob.harris@news.com.au

with the number of workersemployed dropping by 12 percent from 16,063 to 14,083.

The only two Victorianmanufacturing industries togrow were beverages, whichcreated almost 1000 jobs, andchemicals. Employment re-mained steady in food proces-sing, despite multiple closuresof regional factories, with thegrowing dairy industry drivinga 15 per cent increase in ice-cream jobs nationwide.

The period includes the in-troduction of the former Laborgovernment’s carbon tax, butunions and some companieshave dismissed its impact oncompetitiveness.

Australian ManufacturingWorkers Union state assistantsecretary Craig Kelly said thefigures were “hardly a sur-prise” given the “lack of sup-port or vision” coming fromCanberra.

ROB HARRIS

Jobs hit a snag

WE’RE IN A SORRY STATE FOR MANUFACTURING

TELL US WHAT YOU THINKheraldsun.com.au

Sausages are always in demand, sothe production line at Bertocchi

Smallgoods in Thomastownis busy. Picture: JAY TOWN

GREAT WALL’S GREAT FALLAROUND 30 per cent of China’s Ming-era Great Wall has gone as adverse natural conditions and reckless human activities — including stealing the bricks to build houses — erode the UNESCO World Heritage site.

The wall stretches for thousands of kilometres in sections, from Shanhaiguan in the east to Jiayuguan in the windswept sands of the Gobi desert. Construction began in the third century BC but nearly 6300km were built in the 1368-1644 Ming Dynasty.

+ Did you work at or attend at Sunray Lingerie Pty Ltd in Stewart Street, Richmond or Bourke Street in the 1960’s?

+ Do you know someone who did?

A former worker needs your help. If you are able to assist, please contact Amanda Barron on (03) 9602 6990 or 1800 555 615.

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