The Port Kembla steelworks has helped forge this region.
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And it appears it will continue to do so for a little while yet.
The Bluescope profit announcement should be met with optimism, but it is also measured.
Measured by the fact the turnaround in the operations at the Port Kembla steelworks was achieved by “Plan A”.
Remembering “Plan A” was $200 million in cost savings which resulted in an awful lot of people their jobs and cuts to wages of the remaining steelworkers.
That should never be forgotten.
But it’s a damn site better than “Plan B” – the plant closure.
Plan B is still a live option for the company but it appears on the results announced on Monday any decision on that appears some time off for now.
“To be frank, if we hadn’t achieved what we achieved, we’d be in shutdown mode,” Bluescope CEO Paul O’Malley said.
“But we’re still employing and we’re still investing.
“We’re now focused on the next 10 years and beyond so we’re actually focused on the future and not on survival.”
Naturally both sides of politics were scrambling to take the credit and in truth both are right to a point.
The Baird Liberal Government should be congratulated for allowing the company payroll tax deferrals.
Just to clarify yet again, that’s not a handout. The company has to repay that money – it simply got some breathing space.
And the Labor Opposition is right.
More should be done by State and Federal Liberal Governments to ensure wherever possible a fairer deal for Australian steel.
When the Illawarra Mercury launched our #SaveOurSteelworks campaign nearly just over 12 months ago it was done with the intention of supporting our founding industry and workers as well as re-connecting the community with one of Australia’s last remaining steel-making plants.
Once the flame goes out it goes out forever and forever is a long time.
At the moment there are lots of people predicting the economic potential and the new opportunities available for our region, as they say in the classics, “moving forward”.
It’s clear, though challenged, the Port Kembla steelworks can continue to be a part of that future at least in the medium term.
That fact alone is something to be positive about.