Fairfax jobs to NZ plan enrages Australian MPs
Media company Fairfax has come under fire in the New South Wales Upper House over its plans to outsource local editorial production jobs to New Zealand.
A motion passed today called on Fairfax’s Australian-based management to abandon the proposal and unanimously backed the NSW workers, possibly up to 60, who will be losing their jobs.
"The NSW upper house calls on Fairfax management to put quality news and current affairs reporting in this state ahead of budget considerations and to abandon its outsourcing plans," said Greens MP John Kaye, who moved the motion.
He accused Fairfax of "stubbornly pushing ahead with these changes".
Fairfax earlier in the week confirmed plans to move NSW regional editorial production jobs to Fairfax Editorial Services in New Zealand.
The work would involve page design, layout and sub-editing.
"Fairfax's proposed changes will undermine the quality of news and current affairs reporting in the Hunter, the Illawarra and the rest of NSW," Mr Kaye said.
"The NSW Upper House calls on Fairfax management to put quality news and current affairs reporting in this state ahead of budget considerations and to abandon its outsourcing plans."
A no-confidence motion in Fairfax Media CEO Greg Hywood was passed yesterday by staff at the papers involved, The Newcastle Herald and The Illawarra Mercury.
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Comments and questions4
I wish New Zealand politicians and businesses had this attitude - then maybe we would still have industry, and a functioning economy.
Rodney - It is completely wrong for Govt to interfere with businesses unless they are getting a subsidy, or there are impacts on the environment, etc.
Pagemasters in Aussie sub and design parts of the uk Times newspaper.
But governments/MPs do get involved when it comes to job creation and job losses all the time.
MPs have a duty to represent their constituents in any way they can, so long as it doesn't go against party policy.
Aussie MP’s have very little credibility so they should just STFU.
If these Aussie MP’s of any political persuasion had ethics and morals they would refuse to debate or progress any matter until a full, independent, Royal enquiry was held over the Thomson $500K theft / fraud issue …and the even larger issue of him being shielded by Gillard, so she and the ALP remain in government.
Prostituting the credibility, ethics and morality of Australian Parliament for personal / political party gain is a kin to State Treason for the Aussie peoples and therefore makes any “comments” by any Aussie MP shrilling about anything just not relevant when you have a fraudster being sheltered by the current Prime Minister.
The only people in Australia that believes his far-fetched stories are the ALP – who have a massive vested interest and a huge conflict of interest over this fiasco.
Besides, moving some journalist roles to NZ can only help improve the calibre of somewhat biased media reporting anyway – even if it will still be left leaning.