THE loss of another industry that has been part of the fabric of Shoalhaven life for more than half a century will be deeply felt.
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Australian Paper’s Shoalhaven Mill has for five decades not only been a major employer but a good corporate citizen. In its early days its workers banded together to make the dream of a community swimming pool in Nowra a reality. That pool is now entering its second life as a flash new facility that only yesterday was given the funds to have new club rooms as part of the revamp.
In more recent times, the mill – like so many local manufacturers – has struggled against cheap imports and a strong dollar. But it has made a valiant effort to continue operating even as its workforce dwindled due to falling demand for its products. An eleventh hour bid by incoming Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis to shore up its prospects by trying to get the government to buy its products simply came too late.
The crunch came on Tuesday morning when workers were told of their fate. The news was not unexpected but it was still a terrible blow. For many of the older workers the prospect of finding new skills in an already extremely tight local jobs market looks bleak.
And it will not just be the 75 workers who lose their jobs. It is expected additional jobs will vanish as the local economy takes a $20 million hit.
So it is imperative that the federal and state governments do their utmost to help the workers who will be laid off to retrain and re-enter the workforce. This action needs to be set in train now.