Worker at Steel Factory
Work-related hearing loss has been associated with prolonged exposure to occupational noise. Many people may still be unaware that chemical exposure can cause deafness as well. A man works inside a steel factory at Ludhiana in Punjab January 18, 2012. REUTERS/AJAY VERMA/FILES

Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane has attended a meeting on Monday with union and BlueScope representatives in Wollongong to talk about 500 jobs at risks at the Port Kembla plant of the company. Both Macfarlane and the bosses found the meeting effective and constructive.

In August, BlueScope announced around 500 jobs would be at stake in an effort to save up to AU$200 million. The loss of jobs, in that case, will hit the Illawarra community adversely as around 10,000 people are already unemployed over there.

Macfarlane said that one of the agendas of the meeting is to devise a long-term plan for the plant in the region. He said that it is not the time to decide on where to invest the money. “We’ve made no decision as to how any form of assistance to the region may take shape. We have to see what is going to make the biggest difference and make sure that whatever we do, we have jobs in the region that are going to be there in 10 and 20 years’ time,” he said. He added the country will provide him appropriate funds for retraining if it was needed.

Unions have approached the Federal Government to help avoid job cuts, suggesting instead to limit imports and encourage use of Australian steel all over the nation. On Monday morning in Wollongong, Macfarlane said that state infrastructure projects should increase opportunities for the people in the region and expand facilities in the Port Kembla plant.

“We remain totally confident in the future of the steel industry ... I’ve had discussions with BlueScope which has reinforced that, providing they can introduce the $200 million worth of efficiencies that they need to put in place. BlueScope are confident they can be competitive in the long term,” he said, as quoted by ABC News .

The minister said he has discussed a big proposal with the NSW Government, but avoided talking about it. In addition, he said that tariffs maybe a short-term solution to save jobs, but it won’t help in the long run.

Paul O’Malley of BlueScope said that the meeting gave them hope of improved steel business in future, but the job risks still sustained for the time being. “The only way we can be successful is to be cost competitive – I don’t think government handouts is the answer,” he said.

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