Western Victoria Region
Joe McCRACKEN (Western Victoria) (12:57): (943) My question is to the Minister for Small Business. It relates very specifically to a small business in my electorate, in Mitchell Park in Ballarat, called Regina Glass. Regina Glass are manufacturers of glass products. They sell internationally – or they used to. Recently they closed down because of escalating costs. WorkCover premiums were up 60 per cent, gas was up and electricity was up. What normally would be $300 a day for electricity, when the blackouts were on in the state, rose to over $6000 in one day. This means that 14 people have lost their jobs and another manufacturer has gone out of business and left Ballarat. This state used to be known as a state where things were manufactured – not anymore. Now I have got 14 people in Ballarat that do not have jobs because of escalating costs. It is a shame.