Nationals Member for Tamworth, Kevin Anderson, has slammed a decision by QantasLink to abandon its Tamworth heavy maintenance facility.
He said the move that will lead to significant local job losses and devastate the community.
“This decision has come as a complete shock and leaves 51 families in Tamworth with an extremely uncertain future which is a bitter pill to swallow after years of dedicated, loyal service,” Mr Anderson said.
“The lives of workers in the Tamworth hangar and their families have been thrown into turmoil.”
Mr Anderson said the Tamworth Airport heavy maintenance hangar has been home to dedicated, highly skilled engineers and maintenance workers with decades of experience and service to QantasLink.
“We want to keep those skilled workers and their families in Tamworth. They should not be forced to move elsewhere to keep their jobs.
“Of the 51 families, there are 41 employees and 10 contractors who are facing the prospect of unemployment due to this decision in very difficult economic times.
“I have spoken to the CEO of QantasLink and called on them to immediately reverse the decision and work with the local community to look at ways to include Tamworth in the maintenance program for any new aircraft in their fleet.
“Tamworth needs a growing aviation industry, not a shrinking one, and it’s bitterly disappointing that QantasLink have made the harsh decision to pull services away from our region.”
Federal Nationals Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, has also slammed the decision.
“This is taking jobs out of Tamworth and moving them to the city,” Barnaby said. “This is taking jobs out of regional Australia and moving them to the city.”
“This is a classic example of how, when a market is over-incentivised, regional Australia gets ripped off.
“But the one thing we do hold is a very good memory and the way you treat regional Australia in your prices, destroying competition and removing jobs in our areas, will be remembered.”
