Ken O'Dowd (Flynn, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Central Highlands community in my electorate is still coming to terms with the news that BMA will award new service contracts to help operate its Blackwater mine. I have been told that BMA intends to make changes to work conditions at the Blackwater mine. Three hundred jobs will be impacted: 200 permanent positions and 100 already on the labour hire program.

Whilst the discussions are still ongoing, I am concerned about how the decision will affect the family unit. All efforts must be made to keep those families in Blackwater. BMA have made a number of suggestions to further the situation. First, employees could move to other BMA mines. Second, some might seek employment with the new contractor, Downer EDI. Or some might take redundancy packages. Regardless of the final arrangements, it is important to keep the families together, and I urge BMA to think of the local community when deciding the future of the Blackwater operation.

BMA have been a strong and consistent employer in Blackwater. We owe them a lot of thanks. But families in this small community depend on them to do the right thing and keep the family unit together. At the end of the day, there will still be 1,600 employees on the BMA payroll. This is good news, but the 300 workers still must be placed back in jobs. That is how important the decision is.