In State Parliament this week, member for Burnett Stephen Bennett will stand up for small, local family-owned electrical businesses facing ruin under the Palaszczuk Labor Government.
Mr Bennett vowed to vote against the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s Electricity and Other Legislation Amendment Bill which would allow a government-owned mega energy company to compete against business owners.
“Labor’s plan to merge Energex with Ergon and to then allow a new company to unfairly bid against sparkies for bread and butter electrical work will cripple small family-owned businesses,” Mr Bennett warned.
“Our local electrical contractors are all very concerned about the new energy services business and what it could mean for their businesses.
“Small family-owned businesses would never be able to afford to borrow money or sustain losses in the same way the state government can. All it is going to do is send small businesses to the wall.
“Our mum and dad electrical contractors do important work in our communities. They don’t deserve the have the rug pulled out from underneath them.”
Mr Bennett said around 60 local Ergon workers were also at risk of losing their jobs following Labor’s proposed Energex and Ergon merger.
“Uncertainty continues for Bundaberg electricity workers as the Palaszczuk Labor Government refuses to come clean on how many jobs it plans to cut through the proposed Energex and Ergon merger,” he said.
“Ergon workers are in limbo all because this dishonest government refuses to come clean with their real plan to slash jobs and relocate workers, contrary to their election promises.”
Mr Bennett called on the member for Bundaberg to join with him and vote against the bill to help save local electrical jobs.
“The member for Bundaberg must stand with locals and protect our sparkies,” he said.
“If she is serious about supporting local jobs, she will vote against her government’s unfair bill.
“We all know we have an unacceptably high unemployment rate in the region, yet here we have the local Labor member’s government creating an unfair playing field and stealing jobs from our sparkies who are just trying to earn a living.”
Mr Bennett said his office had been contacted by an overwhelming number of people who were concerned about the energy plan.
“Almost 2,200 people have signed the ‘Save Our Sparkies’ petition because they know the government’s plan is unfair.”
ENDS.
14 June 2016