If growth in Australia slows a little bit it will still be in much, much better shape than here. If GDP dips to six percent in China they’ll still be doing well.

And here? If Solid Energy closes the door in Greymouth there are lots of miners who will cross the Tasman to work in Australia because the need for underground mining personnel is as strong as ever. GDP continues to be affected with job closures every other day.

Aren’t you getting sick and tired of the continual job losses and the number of people being thrown onto the unemployment heap? Of the numbers crossing the ditch so much so that ministers in the Victorian Government want to know when the exodus from NZ is going to stop?

Aren’t you sick and tired of the prime minister trotting off overseas to hold meetings which essentially do little more than attempt to hold his popularity up?

The conditions here are out of balance – business tax, low wages, government cuts, people staying in jobs because there is not another to change to. Incentives are dire, and the high technology (sector) is quickly separating itself from the manufacturing sector with fewer numbers of people employed…and high yield returns from manufacturing overseas.

The march in Greymouth this afternoon was a grave reflection of Solid Energy as a caring employer, one who only cares about the bottom line. To devastate Greymouth, to take the jobs, to cause upheaval in any community is shameful. To do this after the mining tragedy leaves a bitter taste all round.

-Doug Green