THE mayor of Indigo Shire has slammed Murray Goulburn for not saying who has bought the Kiewa Country milk brand.
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Jenny O’Connor said it was “incumbent” the firm gave more detail after stating on Monday it had sold the brand and “certain associated assets to a local business”.
“It’s not good enough Murray Goulburn won’t release the details of where this reported new production is going to be, because there are many people desperately looking for work and want to know if there is an opportunity for them,” she said.
“My concern is when they talk about local, they have a broad definition of what it means.
“Is it local to Australia, is it local to the North East or Border?
“It isn’t really OK because we’ve got a lot of people about to lose their jobs and that has a huge economic impact.”
Cr O’Connor said Murray Goulburn had not replied to the shire’s inquiries about the buyer.
Meanwhile, Murray Goulburn says it remains committed to not mothballing the Kiewa dairy.
National Union of Workers North East organiser Neil Smith said if machinery was sold as part of the brand deal it would amount to a broken pledge.
“The company have made a promise publicly to the community, to the union, to the workers and to the Victorian government they will not mothball the site,” he said.
“Now if they pick up this machinery and move it to another site it means they are going to mothball the site and that is devastating for our community and for our region.”
But Murray Goulburn said the firm remained committed to a yogurt joint venture with Danone and would not mothball.
“Consideration of future options for the Kiewa site will need to take into account the ongoing operation of the MG/Danone JV at the site,” it said.
“Longer term we are not intending to mothball the site and we have been approached by parties interested in the site.”
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