Australia-Tasmanian proposal to bail out abattoir.

AUSTRALIA-TASMANIAN GOVERNMENT AND KING ISLAND MEAT PLANT.

The Tasmanian Greens today proposed that the Bartlett government raises with the King Island community and the workers of the JB Swift abattoir the option of forming a co-operative to operate the meat works facility.

Greens Leader Nick McKim MP raised the example of two other interstate co-operatives, the Western Australian Meat Marketing Co-operative Limited (WAMMCO) which has been trading since 1999, and the Grafton Abattoir Co-operative in New South Wales.

"This is a proposal that would empower the community and give workers some control over their destiny and employment security," Mr McKim said.

"The Greens believe that our proposal for a King Island Co-operative to be formed to run the abattoir warrants serious investigation by the government, as it would keep jobs on the island, it would keep the processing skills and knowledge in the community, it would give security to stock producers, and it would value-add to the Island’s already impressive marketing Brand."

"The successful Western Australian example, WAMMCO, is wholly owned and controlled by that State’s lamb producers, has over 100 members and is one of the nation’s largest exporter of lamb exporting to over 55 countries."

"The Grafton Abattoir Co-operative in NSW is a story similar in scale to King Island, as the Grafton cattle-dependant community was facing the loss of 100 jobs with the closure of the meat works in 1997. It was then resurrected by an individual processor, turned into a co-operative and is now a viable business."

"These examples offer hope for King Island community, and the Greens believe that a co-operative model to keep the abattoir up and running and keep jobs in the community warrants serious investigation.

Mr McKim also said that the Greens’ co-operative abattoir proposal would benefit from power-parity for the island being guaranteed by the government.