Precedence for government assistance for Mt Lyell workers and the Queenstown community

Tasmanian Liberal Senate Team to visit the West Coast

THE state and federal governments should be working with rather than attacking the owners of the Mt Lyell mine and also the wider West Coast community, Tasmanian Liberal senators said today.

Senators Stephen Parry and Guy Barnett, who are visiting Queenstown today ahead of a Tasmanian Liberal Senate team tour of the West Coast tomorrow, said the standing down of almost 200 miners due to a mudslide was not only a blow to those workers and their families but also to the local community.

“We note the position being taken by the Australian Workers Union (AWU) and the State Government at this point is to put pressure on the parent company to maintain the Barminco workers on its pay roll,’’ Senator Parry said.

“But we also note there is precedence for government assistance in similar circumstances, targeted at both affected workers and the community.

“According to media reports, the AWU national secretary drew a comparison to the Beaconsfield mine, pointing out workers there were paid after the 2006 rock fall despite the mine owner being under administration.

“What has perhaps been forgotten in that case is that the previous Liberal government provided $8 million to assist the Beaconsfield community, of which more than half – or $4.87 million – was granted to the mine operator `to support the workforce’.

“More recently, we have seen the current Australian Government commit to effectively paying the wages of Holden employees one day a week.

“At the state level, the Tasmanian Government has been paying the wages of workers at the King Island abattoir for some time.

“Only last month the state government unveiled a $3.16 million assistance package for the Excelior Call Centre in Burnie.’’

Senator Parry said the point would not be lost on the Mt Lyell workers and their families or the wider West Coast community.

“Premier David Bartlett’s criticism of mine owner Vedanta is a smokescreen for his own Government’s failure to act in support of the workers and the community,’’ he said.

“What action, for example, has his Government taken on proposals for job creating projects on the West Coast developed in cooperation with the local council some months ago?’’

Senator Barnett was also supportive of the local community and said he looked forward to speaking with Queenstown residents and small business people about the situation, and more generally about local issues.

“The workers and their families are doing it tough but so is the rest of the community and I intend to listen and learn about the impact of the mudslide and what we can do to help,” Senator Barnett said.

“Our offices have spoken to Mayor Gerrity and we know the Mt Lyell mine issue will be at the top of the agenda when the Tasmanian Liberal Senate Team meet with representatives of the West Coast Council tomorrow morning,’’ he said.

“The state and federal Governments both need to do more to achieve a workable outcome for workers and the Queenstown community generally.

“Other issues to be discussed during the Senate visit include a proposed geo-park and tourism development,’’ Senator Barnett concluded.
Senators Stephen Parry and Guy Barnett