Sharman Stone MP

Girgarre shock at Heinz announcement

May 27, 2011

The Heinz announcement that it will end Girgarre’s sauce factory days comes as one of the saddest days for the local community.

The tomato sauce factory has been in Girgarre for at least 20 years with many years before that, operating as a cheese factory that employed locals in the food and manufacturing sector.

“Girgarre is a tiny town that doesn’t have too many other options for the more than 150 workers who are soon to be out of work. It is also a long drive to somewhere else for other work opportunities,” Federal Member for Murray, Dr Sharman Stone said today.

“We have to hope there are generous re-training and other support packages, including redundancy payments as well as other methods of support for what has been a very loyal, hardworking and efficient workforce.

“I think it is particularly sad that this factory is closing, despite the excellence of the product that has been churned out the doors year after year. Everyone knows trusts and loves Heinz tomato sauces and ketchup,” Sharman Stone said.

“The locally grown tomatoes have to be some of the healthiest and best quality in the world. Along with the three growers who will lose their Heinz contract, also go hundreds of picker jobs. Let’s hope new contracts can be found quite quickly for these three growers so they can continue to grow and produce hundreds and hundreds of tonnes of tomatoes each year.

“It is particularly shocking to think that the tomato sauce and ketchup factory will be shifted to New Zealand, who does not of course grow manufacturing tomatoes,” Sharman Stone said.

“I understand that all of the tomato paste will be imported into New Zealand from wherever the cheapest and most suitable paste can be found at the time.

“Obviously we’ve got to really have the Gillard Government look closely at why Heinz factories in Australia, not only the Girgarre factory but also the factories in Wagga Wagga and Brisbane are moving all or parts of their manufacturing to New Zealand.

“It is going to be a very difficult time for the workers and their families in the months ahead. I know the community around Girgarre and wherever these employees come from will provide support and comfort to those whose jobs are gone.

“I will do everything I can to try and identify an alternative place of employment,” Sharman Stone said.

“I am also going to make very sure that our government is made very aware of the closure of this factory and urge them to re-examine every policy that has put the prices of imports up.

“This government also needs to understand the threat to manufacturers in the form of the carbon tax to be imposed by next year and the potential loss of water security as a result of the Murray Darling Basin plan,” Sharman Stone said.