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Latrobe City To Implement Wide Ranging Campaign To Retain Asic

Latrobe City Council has expressed its concern over the decision from the federal government to open a competitive tender process to assess the viability of engaging a private operator for ASIC.

By Latrobe City - 15th May 2015 - Back to News

Latrobe City Council’s mayor, Councillor Dale Harriman, said that ASIC was a key contributor to Latrobe City’s economy employing almost 350 people.

"In the current economic climate, the loss of this number of jobs could result in many community members being forced to leave the region to find alternative employment. And of course the indirect impact on our region will be seen in the loss of these people from our business, community and sporting groups.

"Following Mathias Cormann, the Minister for Finance’s, announcement regarding the proposed tender process, we will be strongly advocating on behalf of our community to retain ASIC in Latrobe City. This means we will specifically request the Government reconsiders its decision to seek tenders for the privatisation of the registry. If that cannot be achieved, we will seek to make it a requirement of any tender process that the private operation of ASIC continue to be based in Traralgon and use the local workforce.

"Additionally, we will be writing to a number of other key local stakeholders such as politicians both at state and federal level as well as local and regional business groups and peak bodies. And next month we will be arranging a number of meetings with ministers when we visit Canberra for the National General Assembly of Local Government conference. This is an issue on which we need firm support and we need to enlist as many influencers as we can," Cr Harriman said.

"We believe that ASIC has been an exemplary case of decentralisation of government functions. Its $126m contribution to our economy is significant. I think we can safely say that ASIC’s location in a regional area has proved to be successful and sustainable model in that it has provided highly skilled jobs that contribute significantly to not just our local economy but to the broader regional economy.

"As a regional city looking for growth, Latrobe has much to offer state and federal departments in terms of employment attraction and retention. We have a willing and skilled labour market, we have strong road and rail connections, we have a lifestyle that appeals to many people. It is disappointing to see the federal government risk the removal of ASIC from its current base and other levels of government continue to

ignore the prosperity and potential of regional Victoria," Cr Harriman concluded.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com