Adani loan bad for Hunter economy

BY JARROD MELMETH

The Turnbull government is coming under fire for "declaring war on Hunter coal miners" if they proceed with a $1 billion loan to the Adani Carmichael coal mine in Queensland.

Adani has applied for the loan through the $5 billion Northern Australian Infrastructure Fund, which grants concessional loans for the private sector to build infrastructure at the top of Australia.

The mine would become one of the biggest in the world with the potential to produce between 25 and 60 million tonnes per year depending on the plan from which the mine is operated from.

Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Infrastructure Pat Conroy said the research shows the negative impact the loan would have to the Hunter region.

"It is just straight logic. If demand for a product is falling if you increase supply, by definition the price will fall and that is my main point which has been corroborated by the CEO of Newcastle Port and by the Australian Institute and I have not had anyone dispute that.

"While the coal is a bit lower quality than Newcastle coal in terms of its calorific value and the value of it when you are trying to use it to produce electricity, it still will suppress the coal prices globally.

"When you add on top of that the fact that the Federal government is considering giving a loan to this company, it is bad news for Hunter coal miners and that is why we should be saying to the Government that we should not be giving a leg up to the competition," Mr Conroy said.

Pat Conroy.

457 Visa Round-Table Discussion

BY SARAH BARONOWSKI

Federal Member for Shortland, Pat Conroy and Member for Blair, Shayne Neumann hosted a roundtable discussion with worker representatives yesterday, to talk about putting local workers first.

Many raised concerns with the way businesses advertise for jobs before looking for workers overseas and gave evidence for HUNTER workers missing out because of the 457 visa program.

MP Pat Conroy says his party have made commitments to ensure locals get the work.

"Our election commitment around 457 visas was quite extensive," he said.

"First off, ensuring there was true market-labour testing so that employers had to advertise locally at realistic wages to see whether an Australian could fill the job and they'd advertise for four weeks,and then there was a requirement that if there was a 457 visa worker brought in, that they be paid the market rate of pay."

He also claims Labor has introduced tougher requirements on employers in terms of training which would lead to better outcomes for workers across the Hunter and Australia.

"That's really important. I don't think people are just using temporary skilled migrants when there's a genuine skills shortage, but people have to be satisfied that Australians get first go at the jobs.

According to Pat Conroy, this skill shortage needs to be addressed but says funding cuts on a Federal level aren't helping.

"We've seen a very significant reduction in training assistance from the Federal Government leading to fewer apprentices and we need to train these people to give young people a future," he said.

"We need Australians to fill those jobs so employers need to spend more money on training and the Federal Government should be helping in that."

Pat Conroy MP

Tanya Plibersek visits St Mary's Catholic College at Gateshead

BY SARAH JAMES

Deputy Leader for the Opposition Tanya Plibersek and Member for Shortland Pat Conroy visited St Mary's Catholic College in Gateshead today to see how Gonski funding has benefited schools.

Schools across the Hunter region have been able to provide specialised support for students as well as employ more teachers under the Gonski scheme.

St Mary's Catholic College is one of two schools in the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese which is planning to introduce Years 11 and 12 over 2018 and 2019.

The Director of Schools for the Catholic Schools Officer of the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese, Dr Michael Slattery, said this extra funding is needed to provide the required resources, infrastructure and teaching staff needed to expand the school.

According to Pat Conroy, these expansions are being jeopardised by the Coalition Government's plan to cut $140 million in funding schools in the Hunter region.

Schools in the Shortland electorate are to see to miss out on $33 million of funding.

It is feared cuts to funding will result in fewer teachers and less one-on-one attention for students who require extra help with their study.

"This Government is refusing to confirm that it will fully fund years five and six of the Gonski's needs-based funding reforms as they promised to do," said Ms Plibersek.

"Under this Government, every child in every school in every system in every state will lose."