Gippsland › Latest news › Russel Northe MLA

Labor fails to deliver on Hazelwood jobs promise

The Andrews Labor Government has continued to refuse to detail what jobs have been created for at least 750 people who will be left unemployed when Hazelwood closes next week.

By Portal Admin - 24th March 2017 - Back to News

Local business and community leaders were in the public gallery during question time at Parliament today, as Member for Morwell Russell Northe asked Industry and Employment Minister Wade Noonan why Labor had failed to deliver its promise to create jobs for Hazelwood’s 750 workers and contractors.

"Daniel Andrews thinks only some jobs are worth fighting for and it means hundreds of people from the Latrobe Valley will be out of work when Hazelwood closes," Mr Northe said.

"Labor is hanging its hopes on a transition scheme it has admitted will provide only a few job opportunities for Hazelwood workers, leaving hundreds without an option for further employment in the region.

"A last-minute media blitz and token visits to the Latrobe Valley mean nothing when Daniel Andrews continually fails to create the jobs he promised he would."

Mr Northe commended Latrobe Valley residents who travelled to Parliament on Wednesday.

"While it was great to see the passionate support for local jobs, our community members shouldn’t have to travel to Melbourne to have their concerns heard," Mr Northe said.

"Hundreds of workers, contractors, businesses and families will be impacted by the closure and we call on the Government to support Latrobe Valley workers by retaining and creating local jobs for local people."

More than 3000 people have signed and supported petitions including those tabled to Parliament today calling on Labor to commit to a gradual closure of Hazelwood.

The unemployment rate in Latrobe City has risen more than 50 per cent – from 7.3 per cent in December 2014 to 11.2 per cent in December 2016.

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Source: www.gippsland.com

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