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Jeremy Rockliff

Premier of Tasmania



11 April 2015

Jeremy Rockliff, Deputy Premier
Liberal Member for Braddon

Caterpillar - Transition Taskforce

The Hodgman Liberal Government is acting quickly to support Burnie and the North West Coast community following yesterday’s announcement regarding Caterpillar.

This is a devastating blow to the North West Coast community and Tasmania generally.

We will stand alongside the community.

Yesterday, I spoke with Caterpillar and some of the workers affected by this terrible news.

We have worked quickly and appropriately to establish the Transition Taskforce to support affected workers and their families.

I will chair the first meeting of the Transition Taskforce on Monday, and the Premier Will Hodgman will also attend.

The Taskforce will include, but is not limited to:

  • Chair - Jeremy Rockliff
  • Dale Elphinstone, Chairman Elphinstone Group
  • Anita Dow, Mayor Burnie
  • Dan Barich, Director CAT
  • Brett Whiteley, Federal Liberal MP
  • Mark Fagen, Australian Workers Union
  • Lee Whiteley, Managing Director Southern Prospect
  • Janelle Allison, Pro Vice Chancellor, University of Tasmania
  • Kim Evans, State Growth Secretary

The Taskforce will provide support to the affected workers and their families by:

  • Implementing processes to support the industry to transition into new areas of opportunity and retain and strengthen the existing manufacturing capacity in the region;
  • Working with the community to retain services which support advanced manufacturing capacity on the Coast;
  • Provide affected workers with advice and support with skills training to help transition the workforce to become job ready;
  • Continue to actively seek new investments to grow jobs in the immediate, medium and long-term; and
  • Continue to work with Caterpillar to support this transition process and the jobs remaining in Tasmania.

The Department of State Growth’s Rapid Response Team in the interim is working with CAT to assist on the ground, working with affected workers to support them through these challenging times.



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