Today Qenos, the nation’s largest petrochemical company, announced its decision to reconfigure its manufacturing assets in Altona, resulting in the loss of 150 local jobs.
Sadly, 150 job losses means 150 families will be affected by this tragic news. Our most sympathetic thoughts are with these families today, but more importantly, so too is the full support of this government.
There is no denying that this will be challenging news, which comes amidst a changing industrial landscape here in the west resulting from closure of the Altona refinery. For our community and its rich industrial history, this is devastating.
We know that the west has long been home to highly skilled workforces such as this, and it is our absolute priority to see that these advanced skills are fed into manufacturing employment opportunities wherever possible.
Rest assured that as your local representatives, we stand ready to assist in whatever way we can. We will work with Qenos, unions, and industry to understand the role that we can play in supporting workers and families as they grapple with this incredibly sad news.