How warped is this idea of free trade?, will we ever wake up and look after our own, doesnt china have us over the barrell by not floating its currency and does china not impose import tarrifs?. http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25226004-3122,00.html AUSTRALIAN consumers are partly to blame for the demise of 1850 jobs at clothing manufacturer Pacific Brands, the company's chief executive says.
Sue Morphet last month announced the job cuts at the clothing company, which makes iconic brands Bonds, Berlei and King Gee, and the shift of some local manufacturing to China.
While she says she endured "sleepless nights" and "anxiety" before announcing the loss of so many jobs, a hard-nosed Ms Morphet says the rest of Pacific Brands was "propping up" local clothing manufacture.
Speaking on the Nine Network's 60 Minutes program last night, Ms Morphet blamed clothing buyers in part for the decision.
"Long, long gone are the days when Australians are actually prepared to pay more for Australian-made goods," Ms Morphet said.
"The only time that we'll pay for Australian goods is if they are giving us something that buying elsewhere or cheaper isn't giving us."
Ms Morphet said she understood the "extraordinary" anger of workers who have lost their jobs but makes no apologies.
"If you are going to be angry then I am the person that you are going to be angry with because I am the face of the decision. I am the decision," she said.
"My job is to ensure that this is a strong, vital company and if I have to cut off something - unpleasantly so - then I must do that."
The decision to sack so many staff was "awful", Ms Morphet said.
"Sleepless nights, nervousness, anxiety. All of the things that you would expect exist."
But it would make Pacific Brands "a more solid, more predictable and more flexible company" and would help protect another 7,000 Australian jobs, she said.
"The rest of the company is propping up the local manufacturing and we can't afford for that anymore," she said.
"I can only guarantee the (remaining) jobs if we run a good company.
"If this company isn't run well, no jobs are safe ... and I think a company such as ours has to make itself more flexible and one of the things that we can't afford is the luxury of local manufacturing."
Despite calls from unions and the federal government, there was "no way" the company would reverse the sackings and retain local manufacture.
"We are the most efficient that we can be. Our people have worked hard to keep it going and the most efficient isn't good enough. There is no way we will reverse this decision," she said.
