FERGUSON ADMITS:

JOBS WILL GO UNDER THE CARBON TAX

Bob Baldwin, Member for Paterson said Resources Minister Martin Ferguson had finally come clean, admitting that coal mines and their workers will be sacrificed under the Gillard Labor Government’s carbon tax.

On Radio National yesterday, Mr Ferguson was asked about research from the Australian Coal Association that shows 18 mines will be forced to shut and 4000 jobs lost because of the carbon tax.

Martin Ferguson: It’s not a question of modelling, we accept that there are some gaseous mines that are actually going to be challenged under a carbon tax.

Fran Kelly: Closed?

Martin Ferguson: That’s why we are engaged in discussions. No one can rule out a mine or two closing.

“Mr Ferguson has finally admitted what the Government has dodged for months – that Labor’s carbon tax will cost jobs,” said Mr Baldwin.

“I call on Sharon Grierson to rule out job losses in the electorate of Newcastle, where more than 2000 workers rely on the mining and aluminium industries.

“I call on Joel Fitzgibbon to rule out job losses in the electorate of Hunter, where thousands of workers rely on the mining and aluminium industries.

“I call on Greg Combet and Jill Hall to come clean on which workers in their electorates will be left high and dry.

“I also call on Rob Oakeshott, one of the architects of the carbon tax, to rule out job losses at Stratford and Duralie coal mines in his electorate,” said Mr Baldwin.

Mr Baldwin said the admission came as a further blow to local workers, after a Tourism Transport Forum paper revealed last week that the carbon tax would cost 6400 jobs in the tourism industry, mostly from rural and regional areas like the Hunter.

Mr Baldwin said that Labor’s claims of compensation would be little comfort to the Hunter workers facing job losses, and their families.

“A carbon tax will do nothing for the environment, however it will cost local workers their jobs,” said Mr Baldwin.

“How do you compensate someone for a job loss?”