Tassie's new group to get west working
The Tasmanian Government has put together a task force to help with rampant job losses in the state’s west coast mines.
Mine winding-down and closure has led to more than 500 mining job losses in the region, most recently at the Henty nickel and Mt Lyell copper mines.
Mount Lyell has been closed for several months after the deaths of three workers in two incidents, while financial struggles forced Henty to close down.
But the new West Coast Economic Working Group will step in to help, after meeting for the first time last Friday.
Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgeman announced the formation of the working group last week, which will include West Coast mayor Robyn Gerrity, Mt Lyell owner Copper Mines of Tasmania, union representatives, Liberal MP Adam Brooks, and community spokespeople.
“We want this to be a community-led response,” the Premier told a crowd in Queenstown.
The group will look for ways to provide workers with training help finding new positions, as well as attracting new investments to create more jobs.
The West Coast Economic Working Group will be chaired by Liberal MP Adam Brooks.
“There are no magic bullets or instant solutions,” Mr Brooks said.
“What we want to know is what the community would like us to focus on...not just look at the short-term needs of services from government, but really what can we do to help build the economy on the west coast and Queenstown.”
Concerns have been raised for virtually every business in the region, as most have strong links with the success of the local mining industry.
“There are so many contractors and service providers out there that survive financially because of the mine operating,” Mr Brooks said.
“We need to... provide some mentoring and mental health services, also business support services and making sure that we are working with the business community as well as the employees and affected by this.”
The group will work to fast-track the re-opening of the Avebury nickel mine in Tasmania's west, which has not produced since 2009. It operators, Avebury Nickel Mine Limited, have agreed to pay about $35 million and work with the economic group to get it underway.
“We have been in communication with the Tasmanian Government and with Robyn Gerrity, the Mayor of the North West Council, assuring them that we are doing everything in our power to get this thing back into operation as expeditiously as we can,” Doug Daws from Avebury Nickel Mine Limited told the ABC.
He said the company was hoping to reopen the Avebury mine late next year.
Venture Minerals' Riley Creek iron ore project will be operational in a similar timeframe.