Bell Bay Aluminium directly employs around 550 people and supports another 1,200 jobs across local contractors, suppliers and businesses throughout Northern Tasmania.
Businesses like Hicky’s Hardware rely on a strong local economy, secure jobs and major industries continuing to operate.
If hundreds of well-paid industrial jobs disappear, the impact flows straight through George Town – into local shops, trades, contractors and family budgets.
That is why Premier Rockliff cannot afford to let Bell Bay Aluminium go the same way as Liberty Bell Bay.
Tasmania has already lost hundreds of jobs across major industries, and yesterday’s jobs data showed our unemployment rate has now climbed to the highest in the country.
The newly released ABS data shows Tasmania has the:
- Highest rate of unemployment in the nation, at 5.1 per cent.
- Highest rate of underemployment in the nation, at 7 per cent.
- Lowest employment to population ratio in the nation, at 57.7 per cent, 6.3 percentage points behind the national average.
- Lowest participation rate in the nation, at 60.8 per cent, 6.1 percentage points behind the national average; and
- Lowest wage growth of any state in the nation, at 2.9 per cent.
Since Premier Rockliff took office in April 2022:
- Unemployment has reached the highest level since November 2021.
- Total unemployed Tasmanians grew 23.6 per cent, from 12,300 in April 2022 to 15,200 in July 2026.
At a time when unemployment is rising, Premier Rockliff should be doing everything possible to protect the jobs we already have and create the jobs we need for the future.
Premier Rockliff needs to secure a workable energy deal with Bell Bay Aluminium, put a serious support package on the table and take a clear proposal to Canberra.
After 13 years of Liberal waste, Tasmanians are already paying through cuts to jobs and services.
They should not also have to pay through the loss of another major employer.
Labor will keep standing with Bell Bay workers, their families and the businesses that depend on them.
