Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise in support of workers in my electorate of Forrest in the south-west of Western Australia who have been stood down from their jobs due to the gas crisis resulting from the gas explosion at Apache Energy Australia’s Varanus Island operations on 3 June 2008. Over 40 per cent of that gas supply is used by south-west industries. This is the third week of gas rations to the south-west businesses or no supply at all for those who cannot convert to diesel. There is now no work for many casual staff contracted by labour hire firms, and most permanent staff are cooperating with management by taking annual leave. But annual leave cannot last indefinitely and many workers do not have any leave accruals to fall back on. South-west industries and businesses have been crippled due to the trickle of gas that is being made available to them on a day-by-day basis. This week the job losses in the south-west alone are expected to grow to 2,000, with a further 2,000 job losses expected over the next week.

The Western Australian government clearly does not comprehend the effects on the south-west industries and businesses that are being disproportionately affected—those which cannot convert from gas to diesel or those which cannot afford to pay the high spot prices for the gas. Industry in the south-west is becoming increasingly frustrated at the lack of transparency and fairness of the rationed gas allocation. (Time expired)