Member for Myall Lakes Stephen Bromhead announced the development of a funding package to help country beverage manufacturers like Saxbys in the period of transition into the Container Deposit Scheme on Wednesday, November 1.
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Mr Bromhead said a key priority was protecting jobs in regional NSW.
“We all agree we need a container deposit scheme, we all agree that it’s a great way to try and clean up the environment, but not if it means an adverse impact for country manufacturers and the loss of jobs,” he said.
“The scheme means that country manufacturers would have to raise $300,000 in the first week of November, when the scheme isn’t introduced until December, and they won’t get paid back that money for up to 120 days. It was obvious it was going to have a big impact on business.
“So we have come up with a package that supports Ian (Turner, Saxby’s managing director) and Saxbys, as well as other country manufacturers. There are a number of small businesses that will be able to take advantage of the package.”
The funding package means that businesses such as Saxbys will be able to continue beverage production, and will continue to employ more than 40 people in the Manning Valley.
“It’s a fantastic result for the community,” Mr Bromhead said.
To be eligible for the funding package, businesses must have 50 per cent of their sales in beverages, make over 50 per cent of sales in NSW, not be a publicly listed company, and not owned by or have any major influence from a major retailer.
Saxbys managing director Ian Turner is confident that Saxbys fits these criteria.
“Our initial concern was that they were asking the industry to fund the scheme upfront,” he said.
“We received the news of the proposed funding yesterday (October 31), and today we will receive our first invoice from the scheme coordinator, which could be $150,000, so the timing is fantastic, it’s taken a lot of pressure off.
“It means stability over summer, whereas if we were having to front up that sort of money we would be running on very low stock levels and would be very restricted in what we could do with regard to getting stock ready for summer.
“It means we don’t let our customers down in terms of the service we provide,” Mr Turner said,