Brett Whiteley (Braddon, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As many of my colleagues well know, the mining industry has always been a significant contributor to the economic fortune of my state of Tasmania. It is a matter of concern that many in Tasmania's west coast mining community are currently facing uncertain times with the recent news that Tasmanian copper mines Mount Lyell and Henty will close. The Mount Lyell mine will close immediately after 121 years, and Unity Mining's Henty mine will close in 2015. It is estimated that more than 350 jobs will be lost as a result of these closures.

The expected closure of the Henty gold mine next year and the extreme disappointment being felt by the closure of the Mount Lyell copper mine will not only have significant economic and employment implications for the state but also potentially critically impact a number of Tasmania's small west coast community businesses. It is important in these early days following the closure of Mount Lyell that immediate financial and emotional support is provided to the workers directly affected. That is why the federal government is mobilising key Centrelink staff to provide on-site support including customer service advisers, financial information service officers and social workers. This is the appropriate first response of a responsible government. It is true that many workers will receive redundancy payments, but it remains essential that professional advice and support is in place, like it is now.

Now that there are support workers on the ground in Queenstown, it is extremely important that the focus turns to pursuing realistic, innovative and sustainable commercial opportunities that will assist in etching out a new future that not only replaces the jobs lost but creates more jobs through growth industries that include new mines and aquaculture as its base—and also adventure tourism and other service industries. I welcome Premier Will Hodgman's decision to establish the West Coast Economic Working Group to provide support and look to how we can build a strong and sustainable future for the west coast. At the request of the state government, I have committed to working closely with my good friend Adam Brookes MP, who is leading the group to an outcome that results in this region restored as the economic powerhouse of Tasmania as it once was.

Since the devastating news of these closures I have been working tirelessly doing what I can to assist the community at a federal level. While my focus in the first few hours after the announced closures was to ensure appropriate front-line services were mobilised, in the days following I have been meeting with major business leaders from the west coast and in the region who already have projects underway and are investing heavily. I asked the Prime Minister to have the mines closure issue placed on the agenda of the Tasmanian economic council meeting and I have met with senior ministers about what we can do to fast-track projects in the region. There may be cheap shots coming from the other side, but as a responsible government we will do what is appropriate and what is sustainable. The one thing I will not be doing is raising unrealistic expectations for people that are in a delicate position at this point in time.