It simply beggars belief that the Greens are ignoring the normal planning and approvals process and instead callously calling for 500 jobs in the North West to be thrown on the scrapheap.
It was MMG themselves that initiated a referral to the Commonwealth to ascertain if their proposed tailings storage facility should be assessed under the EPBC Act, which has now been determined by the Commonwealth.
This is not unexpected and will now allow the proposal to be assessed under the normal planning and environmental approvals processes – as it should be.
Importantly, MMG will now prepare the information it needs for this assessment to proceed while continuing to operate on site in accordance with its lease conditions and current approvals.
Calling for these workers to down tools – essentially putting 500 people out of work – is yet another callous example of the Greens’ complete disdain for Tasmanian jobs, and for a workplace that has been an important part of the North West economy for 85 years.
Rosalie Woodruff should apologise and let the process take its course - or if she doesn’t, she should drive up to Rosebery and tell these workers to their face why she wants to put their families in the unemployment queue.