Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Roads and Regional Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a letter with me today that was sent to me last week from a worker at Energy Brix in my electorate. The letter writer is Angelo Gaudiano and he sent the letter also to Minister Ferguson. He said:

Since the formation of Energy Brix Australia in 1993 we have worked hard to survive … The company and its employees have endured many hurdles and had turned a loss making business into a profit making business with a future.

…   …   …

Once the carbon tax comes into effect at the start of July, the business will be unviable. It will have to shut. Over 200 workers will lose their jobs and the community will be greatly affected with families leaving the area.

…   …   …

The Prime Minister promised that no one would lose their jobs or be disadvantaged by the carbon tax.

Angelo Gaudiano continues:

I worry for the future of my family and I fear for the future of the community that I live in and have invested in as I know it is going to suffer greatly in the very near future and take many years to recover from the effects that this unpopular carbon tax legislation will bring.

…   …   …

I am very frustrated and scared about my future.

I ask all members opposite again: when will one of you, just one of you, stand up for blue-collar workers like Angelo Gaudiano and demand that this Prime Minister abandon the contract-for-closure scheme which is a disaster for regional jobs. On behalf of Angelo and his workmates, I appeal to members of the Labor Party to finally show some courage and reject the plan to shut down power stations in my community. Mr Deputy Speaker Scott, I seek leave to table the letter from Angelo Gaudiano.

Leave granted.