Damien
O’Connor
MP for West Coast-Tasman

04 September 2012 MEDIA STATEMENT

Coast’s future hangs on Spring Creek

The Government is playing with the lives of miners, their families and the community all so it can getter a better deal when it sells down Solid Energy, West Coast-Tasman MP Damien O’Connor says.

“While the miners understand the need for some change, that change must be about driving efficiency and sustainability within the company, not about maximising value for a sell down and share float.

“The Government can make as many excuses as it likes about the decision to ‘suspend operations’ at Spring Creek.

“Coasters know it is first and foremost about National’s asset sales programme, a programme that right now, with a flat share market, is an outrageous proposition.

“There are hundreds of people – retailers, other business owners - who rely on the mine for their livelihood. Like the miners they are angry and they are upset.

“The community knows losing the mine would be a truly savage blow to the whole of the Grey District.

“Given reports today that an Australian recruitment company is being inundated with queries from the West Coast, let’s hope the Government wakes up to the fact, and soon,” said Damien O’Connor.

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