Job loss blamed on protesters

Press, 21 October 1980, Page 6

Job loss blamed on protesters

PA ■ Wellington The environmental movement is responsible for much of the unemployment in New Zealand today, according to the Contractors’ Federation.

The assertion was made yesterday by the federation’s president, Mr A. Mills, who was specially critical of the campaign aimed at stopping the Fletcher-CSR-Alusuisse aluminium smelter proposed for Otago. “Our industry is right behind the efforts of the Government to get the economy moving again, with the establishment of these major industries that will create thousands of jobs in the construction phase, and later when they are functioning,” Mr Mills said. “Contractors throughout New Zealand are fast getting the idea that the acclimatisation societies and other groups are more interested in their week-end fishing and tramping jaunts than in the employment prospects and the standard of living of the bulk of society. “Every time someone wants to establish some kind of industry that will produce employment, a group is formed to stop the development.

“Obstructionist tactics used by environmentalists have led to, the abandonment and delay of projects that could have significantly reduced unemployment,” Mr Mills said.

He said that the Contractors’ . Federation had recently received evidence of the opportunities that had disappeared when plans for a pulp mill on the West Coast were abandoned, because of environmental opposition. The mill, arid an associated sawmill, would have been coming on stream about now. It would have provided .1500 jobs in logging, log transport, and timber processing, with' up to another 500 jobs in the Forest Service areas of forest management, planting, : and logging supervision. “Hundreds of. opportunities would have been generated in construction, and the • district’s : infrastructure, its roads, railway lines and

ports, would have been upgraded. Many consumer related jobs would have been created,” Mr Mills said. “Today no fewer than 700 people are unemployed or on special work on the West Coast. These could have been easily absorbed, and the region would have benefited from an influx of people.” The beech forests that were to have been used by the industry were now affected by scale , insects, killing many of the trees. . Mr Mills also pointed to legal action being taken in an attempt to halt the Upper Clutha hvdro-electric development. The legal arguments were still not resolved, but they had slowed the project. “The Clutha River is going to be developed at some stage, and it may as well be sooner rather than later because construction costs are rising faster than the consumers’ price index. The delays have already cost millions of dollars, and is one of the reasons whv power generated from the'dams will be so expensive,” he said. Contractors were also concerned that environmentalists were completely ignoring the positive contribution to environmental values made by hydro construction projects.

“There are probably comparatively few in these groups who remember the Waikato River before it was dammed. It used . to flow through a J scrub-covered 'ravine, and'was inaccessible for much of its length. The Waikato lakes provide facilities that are among the best water ' snort venues in 1 the world,” Mr Mills said. “The Tongariro develop-' ment' has resulted in vastly improved communications throughout the central North Island, giving access to many trout streams and beauty spots that were once accessible only to the .young and the fit. . “The Mackenzie Basin was a wasteland before the Upper

Waitaki scheme was started, but now irrigation water is available to /'farmers and lakes suitable for boating and fishing have been created, and there is taik of, the development of a big tourist attraction in the region.

“Plans for the Clutha involve similar improvements and the development of a big recreational complex at Cromwell,” Mr Mills said. ■ The contractors also drew attention to a study of Southland by a Christchurch economic consultancy, which found that the Tiwai aluminium smelter was supporting 2000 jobs outside the factory gate, in addition to the 1100 jobs in the smelter itself. “There is no reason to believe that the same thing will’ not happen in Dunedin when the new smelter is built there,” Mr Mills said.

The Southland study said that the smelter supported 800 jobs in transport and engineering firms directly associated with the supply of goods and services, to the plant. ' Another 1200 jobs were in consumer-based industries, where smelter Workers and their families created a continuing demand for school teachers, health personnel, shop assistants, and other service industry jobs. “There is also a demand for housing. That study estimated that a further 200 homes will be built in Injvercargill as a result of the construction of the third potline, which will employ 350 .people. ’ “It is no surprise to realise that nobody in. Southland isopposed to new smelters, and that local interests have offered to take the Fletcher project from Otago if Dune; din does not want it.

“It is jobs and people’s livelihoods that are the real issues today. New Zealand cannot afford to sacrifice any more of either to the appetites of the environmental lobby,” Mr Mills said. '