National’s Invercargill candidate Penny Simmonds welcomes today’s announcement that a National Government would work to keep Tiwai Point open and save thousands of jobs.

“I have been advocating for our region and I am pleased National has such strong leadership who can make decisions to support our communities.

“I’m delighted to hear a National Government would facilitate negotiations between Rio Tinto, power companies and Transpower to achieve a more cost competitive environment to keep Tiwai Point open.

“The current hard closure of the smelter on 31 August 2021 would see 2260 jobs lost from our community. At a time when New Zealand is in the largest economic crisis in a generation, we should be doing all we can to protect those jobs.

“Unlike Labour, National hasn’t turned a blind eye to Invercargill and the wider Southland region’s pleas.

“Not only is it committing to a deal that would result in a more reasonable operating environment for the smelter’s operators, it would do more.

“National has committed to accelerating Transpower’s investment into transmission lines upgrades, allowing electricity to be available to the wider economy.

“It will also invest in improving Southland’s internet connectivity to allow new industries to locate closer to the renewable energy that Manapouri provides, to ensure the development of other industries and future jobs.

“It’s clear National not only understands the scale of the economic crisis we are facing, but has the experience, competence and vision to protect jobs, save businesses and rescue our economy.

“National has an eye to Southland’s future, which is the type of leadership we want as a region.”

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