00:00A legendary Tasmanian dairy in its final season of operation.
00:07The beloved King Island Dairy brand will disappear next year.
00:12The news today is sad and concerning.
00:16My heart goes out to the dedicated employees at King Island Dairy.
00:19I challenge them for the remaining nine months of operation to make the best cheese they've
00:23ever made.
00:24King Island Dairy is the largest employer on the Bass Strait Island and its closure
00:29will leave nearly 60 workers out of a job.
00:32It's utterly devastating to be honest.
00:34This is going to have a large impact on the community.
00:38Nearly a year ago, Saputo Dairy Australia confirmed it was considering selling the business
00:42but it hasn't found a buyer, saying today,
00:46After thoroughly reviewing every possible option, closure of the facility was determined
00:51as the most viable way to strengthen SDA's competitiveness based on changing industry
00:56and market conditions.
00:58Approximately 58 impacted employees have been informed of the decision.
01:03Where possible, SDA will identify redeployment opportunities and where alternative roles
01:08are not available, employees will be provided with their full entitlements and outplacement
01:13support.
01:14Once renowned for its lush dairy farms, King Island's dairies have dwindled to four.
01:19Those remaining farms now have less than a year to wrap up their operations.
01:25The farmers on King Island have been having a pretty horrendous time over the last few
01:29years.
01:30What we're hoping is that Saputo will be able to help those farmers, whether that's financially
01:35or socially, transition to new enterprises.
01:38Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockleaf says the government's providing immediate support
01:42to the workers, the farmers and the wider island community.
01:46He says they're also working with Saputo to find a new buyer.
01:50The announcement comes amid a dwindling Australian milk supply and skyrocketing manufacturing
01:55costs.
01:56But hope remains.
01:57Well, we've seen other famous Australian brands that have been rescued in recent times, like
02:01Vegemite, Dryers of Bone and R.L. Williams and others.
02:06So I hold out the faint hope that that might still happen for King Island Dairy.
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