Bell Bay Aluminium is critical to Tasmania’s economy, and the fall out will be catastrophic to the region if another major industrial falls over.
The smelter supports 550 direct jobs, and is a core supporter of the broader ecosystem of engineering firms, contractors and skilled trades across George Town and Bell Bay, with over 1200 indirect jobs, and generates over $1 billion in economic output.
Kempe Engineering is just one example of a successful local business that will be affected if Bell Bay Aluminium follows the same fate as its neighbour, Liberty Bell Bay.
Based in George Town, Kempe Engineering is a heavy industrial engineering, maintenance and fabrication business and a core part of the region’s industrial fabric.
Employing a roughly 80 strong local workforce, these highly skilled trades include fitters, boilermakers, welders and trade assistants service major industrial customers across Bell Bay and the broader heavy industry sector.
George Town Council has identified the region as the most socioeconomically disadvantaged local government area in Tasmania, yet workers are watching the Tasmanian Liberal Government seemingly ignore the value of their skills that built Tasmania’s economy. Many will be forced to leave their lives built in Northern Tasmania in search of work, or face the reality of unemployment.
By any measure, the Liberals haven’t treated the situation with the urgency it deserves, with the Government forced to admit that it hasn’t submitted any formal support package to the Federal Government for consideration.
Tasmania has already lost Liberty Bell Bay, and we cannot afford to lose Bell Bay Aluminium as well.
The Federal Government has a role to play, but Tasmania has to act first. That means securing a power deal with Bell Bay Aluminium and taking a clear ask to Canberra.
Tasmanian Labor stands with our workers, unions and our major industrials, and the Liberals need to stand up too.
