Madeleine King (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In a devastating blow to my local community across Rockingham and Kwinana, BP announced that it will close the Kwinana fuel refinery. After 65 years of refining fuel for aviation, for agriculture, for the largest naval base in the nation and for the use of all Western Australians, BP has decided to cut and run. After 65 years as an integral part of the local community, BP has decided to shut down within a few short months and put 650 locals out of work.

Only eight weeks ago, this Morrison government promised a fuel security package, acknowledging that maintaining a viable domestic refining industry will support Australia's economic recovery from COVID-19—but not if you're a BP worker in Kwinana, Western Australia. Oh, no—no help for you from this government! Six hundred and fifty jobs will be lost—good, highly skilled, well-paid fuel-refining jobs, gone within eight weeks of this government promising to help. As ever, the Morrison government is always there for the photo op and never there for the follow-up.

In a few short months, 650 families across Rockingham and Kwinana will now have, for the most part, their principal breadwinner out of work. BP have failed these families, BP have failed their workers and, if the Morrison government don't step up and deliver on their promise to have fuel refining in Western Australia, they will have failed 650 families across Rockingham and Kwinana, and it will rest on their heads forever.