Government turns off the lights on manufacturing industry

A NEW Federal Government proposal will turn off the lights on one of Australia’s few remaining viable manufacturing industries, a peak body warns.

Lighting manufacture in Australia provides nearly 5000 manufacturing jobs across the country, with thousands of downstream jobs reliant on the survival of the industry.

“This is a sucker punch to an industry that should be the darling of government.  We create manufacturing jobs, reduce energy consumption for Australian households and businesses, and we innovate and develop cutting edge products in Australia," said Roman Gowor, Lighting Council Australia national marketing and environment manager.

He said bureaucrats in the Commonwealth Government have put forward a revised National Construction Code that dramatically cuts the scope for architectural and decorative lighting in commercial buildings.  The Code will affect all new builds and redevelopments across Australia.

“In addition to costing jobs, this proposal will dramatically reduce the ability of designers to make buildings anything but drab and sterile.”

The concerns of lighting manufacturers and suppliers about the National Construction Code are echoed by lighting designers and engineers.  Together, the affected industries provide 2500 jobs and produce $400 million worth of economic activity annually.

www.lightingcouncil.com.au

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