Tasmanian Government
Jeremy Rockliff, Premier
Felix Ellis, Minister for Business, Industry and Resources
Federal Labor's billion dollar support package for the Tomago aluminium smelter should now be matched with a commitment to Tasmania's Bell Bay Aluminium smelter.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said if there is a billion dollars for Tomago, there is money for Tasmania.
"Tasmanian workers deserve exactly the same backing as the workers in Newcastle, Whyalla and Gladstone," Premier Rockliff said.
"Bell Bay has national significance. If the Federal Labor Government wants a future made in Australia, they must come back to the table to support Bell Bay.
"We will continue to take the fight to Canberra, this isn't good enough."
Minister for Business, Industry and Resources, Felix Ellis, said there cannot be one rule for New South Wales and another for Tasmania.
"Federal Labor must explain why a smelter in Newcastle deserves extraordinary support while Bell Bay is expected to go it alone," Minister Ellis said.
"Just as Tomago is too important to lose, Bell Bay is also too important to ignore.
"Tasmania put forward a submission to the Green Aluminium Credit Scheme because that's what the Federal Government committed to delivering. Labor has now apparently moved the goal post - according to Bass members Jess Tessdale and Janie Finlay - so the Federal Government needs to come back to the table.
"Tasmanian Labor is complicit in this and are totally content with letting Canberra shirk their commitment to northern Tasmania.
"We will continue to advocate strongly on behalf of the Tasmanian people, Canberra needs to do their bit."
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