Press Release
NUW supports Mayor’s call for Prime Ministerial intervention in mill job losses
Monday December 12, 2005
NUW NSW State Secretary Derrick Belan has backed a call for the Prime Minister, John Howard, to intervene on behalf of workers at the Manildra Flour Mill after 50 job losses were announced at the site.
Belan said he supported a call by Cabonne Shire Mayor, John Farr, in seeking Federal Government assistance to save the jobs of one quarter of the Mill’s 200-strong workforce.
“The loss of these jobs is devastating for the workers involved and their families.
“With a quarter of the workers at the Mill being made redundant, and a restructuring of the shifts for those workers who will remain in the pipeline, the scaling back of the Mill’s operations will have a crippling impact on the Manildra district.
”The flourmill is the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, and is a major employer in the surrounding district.
Belan said he thought the call by local Mayor John Farr in seeking Federal Government assistance for the workers was “completely reasonable”.
“The NUW supports the Mayor’s request. The job cuts at the Manildra Flour Mill can be attributed to the downturn of the ethanol market.
“Unfortunately, the Howard government has done little to promote the use of ethanol fuel blends.
“The redundancies at the Manildra Mill reach much further than the direct impact they will have on the workers. There is a broader issue of support for the use of environmentally friendly fuels sources, as well as Federal Government support for rural communities, given that the Manildra Mill sustains a rural community that has few other job opportunities.
“With all these issues at play, Prime Ministerial intervention in this matter would be entirely appropriate.
Belan also criticised the Prime Minister’s response to questions from Independent Federal MP for Calare, Peter Andren, on the Manildra situation.
“John Howard said he was ‘sorry’ about the job losses. Well ‘sorry’ does not put food on the table of these workers. The Prime Minister must act to help this plant and this community instead of simply expressing regret for the situation in Parliament.”
Belan suggested the Federal Government look towards requiring all Commonwealth vehicles to utilise ethanol fuel mix.
“This would show some commitment from the Commonwealth and could possibly be a solution to the situation at Manildra.
“The NUW calls upon the Prime Minister to intervene and assist the workers at Manildra who face a very uncertain future.”
Last modified 2005-12-12 04:46 PM
