Plan to help axed Cadbury workers

THE Department of State Growth has met with Cadbury over the decision to axe 50 jobs from its Claremont plant.

Following the announcement by the chocolate maker’s parent company Mondelez International on Tuesday that staff numbers would be reduced by 50, the State Government said it would deploy its State Growth-run Skills Response Unit.

It is understood that the unit, which responds when a business or industry downsizes or closes by co-ordinating services and support for the employees, has already met with Cadbury staff and will provide information sessions on the support available.

The announcement by Mondelez International coincompany cided with the company’s plan to invest $75 million over the next 18 months on new automation technology.

Labor MP for Denison Madeleine Ogilvie said the State Government needed to protect local jobs.

“The Government must be doing everything possible to ask important questions about these possible redundancies,” she said.

“Including working with the to look at ways to expand work opportunities, at what is a distressing time for these important workers.”

In Federal Parliament yesterday, independent Federal MP for Denison Andrew Wilkie asked Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull whether he would return the $16 million pre-election economic stimulus package previously earmarked for the visitor centre at Cadbury before the application for funding was withdrawn.

Mr Turnbull said the funds were redirected to a Tasmanian Jobs and Investment fund, which was combined with $8 million in State Government funds, to create a program that was boosting investment and generating jobs across the state.

Mr Wilkie said the answer did not provide any assurances.

“It was disappointing that the Prime Minister did not offer any immediate assistance to these people, and instead only referred in broad terms to government programs which will do little to help them right now,” he said.

New Australian Bureau of Statistics figures released yesterday show Tasmania’s employment grew 4 per cent over the past year, although there was a slight increase in the unemployment rate to 6.1 per cent.

Treasurer Peter Gutwein said 800 new jobs were created in the state last month.

Labor’s shadow treasurer Scott Bacon said the State Government needed to invest in public infrastructure to stimulate the economy with the private sector doing too much of the work.