Mudgee abattoir workers will be paid **today** (14 Nov 03) by GEERS, before
the administration of the abattoir has concluded (so DEWR doesn't know if
the outcome will satisfy GEERS operational arrangements). This is after NSW
govt rushed through special legislation to make the employees priority
creditors (originially the NSW legislation for council workers said
employees were not priority creditors). Workers will get approximately 80%
of entitlements, and they will be paid approx 2 months (yes two months) of
the abattoir going into administration (the abattoir went into
administration on 9 Sep 03 - yes that's this year!).

It's not what you know, it's who you know. Deputy Prime Minister and Member
for Gwydir, John Anderson, is the local member for Mudgee.

So make sure your next employer is the PM's brother (National Textiles
workers got 100% of entitlements) or the local member is the deputy PM.

****GEERS flowing today
Friday, 14 November 2003
Mudgee Guardian
http://tinyurl.com/uxn1 or
http://mudgee.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=local&category=aba\
ttoir%20uncertainty&story_id=267603&y=2003&m=11

Former abattoir workers who have applied for assistance under the Federal
Government's General Employees Entitlements and Redundancy Scheme (GEERS)
and have been approved will have their benefits deposited into their bank
accounts today (Friday).
A spokesperson for receiver Steve Parbery said Parbery and his staff had
worked around the clock since receiving $3.6 million from the Federal
Government earlier this week so workers could gain access to the payment
today.
"To my knowledge not all workers have made application for GEERS and any
former worker who has not completed the application is encouraged to do so
as soon as possible," the spokesperson said.
The announcement from the receiver follows a press release from Deputy Prime
Minister John Anderson's office Thursday saying $3.6 million had been
transferred to Parbery.
In other abattoir news a spokesperson said the extended time for bidding to
purchase the abattoir ended Wednesday November 12.


****Federal Government Helps Mudgee Abattoir Workers
12 Nov 2003
DEWR
http://tinyurl.com/uxnz or
http://www.dewr.gov.au/ministersAndMediaCentre/mediacentre/detail.asp?keywords=&\
title=&creator=&type=&month=&year=&index=&show=2781

Joint Media Release
The Hon John Anderson MP
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Regional Services
The Hon Kevin Andrews MP
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister Assisting the
Prime Minister for the Public Service

THE Australian Government has today provided more than $3.6 million for
former employees of the Mudgee Regional Abattoir.
Deputy Prime Minister and Member for Gwydir John Anderson and Minister for
Employment and Workplace Relations Kevin Andrews announced the money had
been given to the insolvency practitioner to be passed to the workers.

The $3.6 million was paid out under the Australian Government's General
Employee Entitlements and Redundancy Scheme (GEERS).

"This is great news for the 230 former workers, their families and the
community and follows my representations to the Federal Minister (Employment
and Workplace Relations) in September," Mr Anderson said.

"Providing the GEERS safety net assistance to the workers of the County
Council owned abattoir was originally in doubt due to a legal loophole in
the NSW Local Government Act.

"But after discussions between the Australian and NSW Governments, the NSW
Government agreed to amend the loophole to include insolvency provisions and
allow for GEERS payments."

Mr Andrews said the insolvency practitioner managing the winding up of the
abattoirs, Mr Steve Parbery of Prentice Parbery Barilla, will distribute the
$3.6 million.

"Employers are responsible for employee entitlements," Mr Andrews said.

"However, the Australian Government was the first to introduce a safety net
scheme protecting workers who lose their jobs and their entitlements due to
their employer's insolvency.

"More than $125 million in GEERS payments have been provided to more than
12,500 Australians.

"More than 81 per cent of GEERS recipients have received all their
outstanding wages, annual leave, long service leave, pay in lieu of notice
and redundancy entitlements."

For more details about the Australian Government's employee entitlements
safety net schemes go to www.workplace.gov.au.
For media inquiries, contact
Clare Siddins Mr Andersons office 0427 200 674
Felicity Dargan Minister Andrews office 0409 550 446


****Ex abattoir workers enjoy partial entitlements win
ABC Radio
13 Nov 2003
http://abc.net.au/news/australia/nsw/archive/metnsw-13nov2003-4.htm

Former employees from the Mudgee abattoir in central western New South Wales
should have at least part of what they are owed in their bank accounts by
the end of the week.

The 230 workers lost their jobs when the abattoir shut in September.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Member for Gwydir, John Anderson, says $3.6
million has now been made available to the workers under the Federal
Government's General Employee Entitlements and Redundancy Scheme.

"I'm very glad now that this matter's been resolved well ahead of
Christmas," he said.

"It's a bit of good news in the tragedy of the jobs lost. I should say at
the outset though that I sincerely hope that a purchaser for the abattoir
will be found and that jobs will re-emerge in the future."

Mr Anderson says money will be put into employee bank accounts as quickly as
possible.

"As soon as they can get their applications into the administration, be
verified that they are who they say they are and the match be worked
out...then I think that can happen pretty well immediately," he said.

The southern region manager for the United Services Union, Graham Kelly,
says while workers are still owed more than $1 million, it is good news the
workers will finally get some money.

"They're working very feverishly to get that money into the banks by
Friday," he said.

"The only hiccup that may occur is that there may be some bank details from
former employees that may be outstanding...so it is great news and everyone
is entitled to feel pleased with what we've achieved.

"I'd like to thank the ratepayers and all those people in the Mudgee Shire
that have stood by those abattoir workers.

"It's been a great effort and certainly we'll be holding a big family day
around the 14th of September to get together and celebrate our entitlement
win."