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small business | July 14, 2017

Labor ignores Hamilton in State-wide small business program

The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy MP is astonished the Andrews Labor Government has ignored Hamilton in this year’s Small Business Festival program, particularly given the imminent shutdown of the Hamilton Mineral Sands Separation Plant.

The Small Business Festival aims to provide information, ideas and inspiration to people who are starting or growing a business. Over 500 events are being held across Victoria as part of the festival.

“The loss of 120 direct and indirect jobs as a result of suspension of the Hamilton Mineral Sands Separation Plant is devastating for the Hamilton community”, Ms Kealy said.

“The festival could not be timelier for the local community, but the Andrews Government’s refusal to hold even one workshop in Hamilton is just further evidence of Labors neglect of local businesses and jobs.

“The Andrews Labor Government should be doing all it can to support local people, yet the only funding delivered by Daniel Andrews in the 2017/18 State Budget was for a boat for the Hamilton SES, which will not create a single new job.

“It is obvious from recent major job losses in the Latrobe Valley and now Hamilton that this city-centric Labor Government has no plan for country Victoria, no plan for managing the impending job losses in Hamilton and no care for the future of our region,” she said.