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MEMBER for Orange Andrew Gee has warned against rushing a solution to protect Orange’s economy in the fallout of Electrolux’s closure, instead keeping the focus on retraining the plant’s workers.
Employment, training and trade departments from the state and federal government meet with Electrolux weekly to assist the plant put a “proper” retraining program in place, Mr Gee said in a statement.
“Electrolux needs to be driving and funding this process, but officers from NSW Trade & Investment have been meeting on a weekly basis to assist Electrolux,” Mr Gee said.
“Representatives from NSW State Training Services and the Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations are now also a part of those meetings.”
Mr Gee said progress had been made but he called for Electrolux’s Swedish board to make a commitment to back “the goodwill on the ground in Orange”.
The state government was working through ways of responding to the impact the closure would have on the city’s economy to get the right options as the second element of dealing with the plant closure, Mr Gee said.
He would not say if the government was considering a direct financial stimulus package to boost job creation.
“There is no point rushing a response that is not effective and we need to have a good look at what has worked in the past, and what hasn’t,” he said.
clare.colley@fairfaxmedia.com.au