Peter Andren (Calare, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. With the closure of Cowra’s largest employer, the Cowra Abattoir, and the loss of 200 jobs, will the minister confirm to the House his commitment to swift financial assistance, especially as workers’ entitlements may not be finalised for seven weeks and these job losses represent four per cent of Cowra’s working population? Will the minister consider an assistance package to ameliorate the impact of the job losses on a Cowra economy where other manufacturers are also struggling, mainly against unfair international competition? Could Cowra Abattoir workers expect, along with provisions of the GEER scheme, extra support, similar to that provided in the wake of the Adelaide Mitsubishi restructure in 2004?

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