8 October 2015

Govt needs a plan to support people working in coal industry

The National Government needs a plan to support people who work for Solid Energy and communities like Huntly as the coal industry winds up, the Green Party said today.

“People who work for Solid Energy deserve the Government’s support to find new jobs,” Green Party spokesperson for workplace relations and safety Denise Roche said.

“National’s mismanagement loaded Solid Energy up with debt and drove it into the state it’s in today, so National has a responsibility to support the people whose jobs are being cut.

“Coal is a sunset industry and there are huge opportunities in the low carbon economy that the National Government should be embracing, but isn’t.

“The National Government should have seen this coming and invested in planning and transitioning people into other jobs.

“Solar companies in the USA are creating jobs ten times faster than the rest of the US economy, and the Green Party has a plan to encourage the same to happen in New Zealand by updating the rules to give solar a fair go.

“The Green Party would invest in creating jobs and lowering pollution, through rail projects and building affordable housing,” said Ms Roche.

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