00:00Of course, I'm here today to confirm the tough news for workers at Tomago,
00:07this important industrial aluminium processing facility in the Hunter Valley.
00:13They have been issued notices this morning and the owners of that facility are beginning
00:18a consultation process with all of the staff about the future of that industrial facility.
00:25We have, as a government, have been working carefully with the Tomago facility,
00:33with the unions who represent staff at that facility, with the New South Wales government,
00:40working to try and secure a future for that facility.
00:45Today, I do want to think about those over a thousand workers at Tomago that quarter to six
00:50this morning got the news that there'll be consultation about the future of the smelter.
00:54Or coming into Christmas, it does create uncertainty for those families.
00:58And I want to acknowledge that that is difficult for them from the get-go this morning.
01:04But I also want to say that we are engaged in a three-way negotiation and we are committed,
01:12as Minister Ayres have just said, to creatively and consistently put our shoulder to the wheel
01:19to keep this smelter going. And I would respectfully remind the state government that they have
01:27racked up royalties for many years off coal. Our region has continued to deliver and I would
01:33respectfully encourage Premier Minns to stay engaged in the negotiation. We need this negotiation
01:41to be successful. Quite frankly, we need the state government to come to the party on this.
01:45And also to Rio, to Norse Hydro and Gove, the owners of the smelter. We need them actively engaged in this as well.
