MS TIERNEY — To ask the Assistant Treasurer (for the Minister for Employment and Trade): In relation to the 11 job cuts at Ballarat’s UGL Engineering recently, what assistance will the Napthine government provide workers who have been affected by these job cuts.
ANSWER:
I am informed that:
United Group Rail (UGL) has informed the government of 11 job losses at the company’s Ballarat manufacturing plant.
In a public statement UGL stated that the recent job losses are ‘Due to the present macroeconomic environment in Australia and a softening demand across its rail operations’.
Despite these redundancies, UGL remains a significant employer in Ballarat with approximately 80 skilled manufacturing employees.
On 3 September 2013 Regional Development Victoria coordinated an information session for affected employees with the relevant government agencies and service providers. This included information on access to retraining opportunities under the Workers in Transition program.
Regional Development Victoria is continuing to liaise with the company on potential job matching with employers in the Ballarat area that may be seeking skilled manufacturing employees.
