Mark March 20 down in your diary.
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It may well be the date we finally see some traction on assisting the Australian steel industry in particular the Port Kembla steelworks.
It’s the date Parliamentary secretary for the Illawarra Gareth Ward has announced for a steel procurement forum in Wollongong involving all the major players.
The forum will be led by Finance and Services Minister Victor Dominello.
Another of the attendees will be steel campaigner and South Coast Labour Council secretary Arthur Rorris.
Mr Rorris welcomed the announcement of the forum as long as it wasn’t another “talkfest”.
Mr Rorris hit the nail on the head when he said: “If what he [Mr Ward] is proposing is a forum where he can table the government’s position and something better than the steel protection bill, well we’re all ears.”
It would be highly likely we will find out exactly where the Berejiklian NSW Government stands on steel procurement on that day. Finally.
There were heated scenes in Parliament on Thursday with both sides of politics accusing the other of playing politics over the Greens steel procurement bill.
Mr Ward was furious he had been “gagged” on speaking to the bill and the region’s Labor MPs said it was nothing more than a stalling tactic.
The bill, which aims to mandate the use of Australian steel in government infrastructure projects, was delayed in the Upper House by delaying tactics from the Liberals last year.
The shenanigans have ultimately meant the bill, which should have been voted on, will now have to be reintroduced at a later date.
With that debate sidelined the region now looks to March 20 to see if finally some meaningful measures can be addressed to keep the Port Kembla steelworks operating to its potential.
Mr Ward says the forum can “deliver real change”.
“This forum … will be responsible for government procurement results and key industry stakeholders including BlueScope Steel, fabricators and unions will be invited to attend,” he said. Ultimately, this region needs action and less talk.
Let’s hope the forum delivers on that promise and we see a genuine benefit to the industry which has helped forge this region.
