The Government is considering a cash injection for the West Coast to fill an economic hole of more than $13 million caused by the Pike River coal mine tragedy.Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee today met Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn and West Coast Devel
The Government is considering a cash injection for the West Coast to fill an economic hole of more than $13 million caused by the Pike River coal mine tragedy.
Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee today met Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn and West Coast Development Trust head John Sturgeon to discuss the economic future of the area and what assistance the Government could offer.
More than 250 jobs have been affected by last month's explosions at the mine, which killed 29 men, and Mr Brownlee said the Government would do its best to help prevent further economic loss.
Mr Kokshoorn said he was pleased with discussions, and felt the Government had done what it could to help so far.
"We want a stimulus package in the shorter term, but definitely we want to retain that pool of workers," Mr Kokshoorn said.
"We haven't asked for a cash amount, we've come here, we don't want to put our hand up and be beggars. We're just saying to the Government 'look we've got a big problem down there economically, we're grieving down there, we're actually trying to bring the bodies out of the mine, what can you do for us?'.
"It's a case of sitting down over the next three or four weeks and just working out how we can actually get some sort of stimulus package together to help our economy go forward, and to help that pool of miners to stay in New Zealand."
Mr Brownlee did not reject the idea of a cash injection, but said a stimulus package would more likely focus on industry development in the area.
He said more than $13m would be lost from the local community as a result of the job losses, and that the Government was considering pushing other projects forward to create more jobs.
"The opportunities which are likely to come shortly, with the Bathurst mining operation in the northern part of the West Coast in the Buller, with the expansion of Oceania's operations round the Reefton area, and the prospect that Solid Energy might be expanding some of their activities, there is a need for a workforce that has the sort of expertise that Pike was calling on," Mr Brownlee said.
"The challenge is to try and find opportunities for those people to remain in the district as those other opportunities come on stream."
Mr Brownlee said the hydro-development in the Arnold River might also take up some of the jobs, with many of the expertise of the miners being applicable to that project as well.
The Government would be considering the case over the next two months.
"We'd hope by February to day 'look, here are some things that we are doing that will provide some opportunities to maintain the employment in that district and maintain economic activity in the district," he said.
"We've got a problem and it takes time to sort that problem out."
