About 10 people at an energy roundtable in Wodonga on Wednesday – including Wodonga mayor Anna Speedie, Indigo deputy mayor Bernard Gaffney and businesses such as Uncle Toby’s – were on hand to give their advice to Resources Minister Matt Canavan.

Senator Bridget McKenzie, who hosted the roundtable, said energy security was a hot topic so it was a good opportunity to share any concerns with the minister.

“Businesses that have been unable to access affordable, reliable baseload power have really restricted their capacity to grow their existing operations and that, at the end of the day, costs us jobs,” she said.

“We’re the heartland of food manufacturing in this particular region and whether you’re turning the grapes, that we grow locally, into fabulous wine, that we then export around the world, our milk production locally, it’s all incredibly energy intensive.”

Ms McKenzie supported the Coalition’s recent comments that energy resources needed to be a mix of renewable sources, gas and coal resources with the lowest emissions.

Senator Canavan said manufacturing businesses around the country were worried, so the federal government needed to take charge.

“Clearly we’re facing a challenge in this country of affordable energy and security of supply,” Senator Canavan said. “If you were the boss, if you were in my position, what would you do? I want to hear about that.”

Uncle Toby's Wahgunyah factory manager Dean Hutton said the minister got the message that rising gas and electricity prices were a problem.

“It was quite positive, it was an opportunity to exchange information,” he said.

“The minister was keen to understand what the concerns of the region were.”

Uncle Toby's had also been doing its own work to reduce its energy through projects such as more effective ovens and compressed air.

Senator Canavan attended a similar roundtable in Wangaratta on Thursday afternoon.