Cootamundra resident says employment opportunities scarce throughout region

It comes after member for Riverina Michael McCormack suggested former Manildra workers should be looking outside of Cootamundra for employment.

Speaking on Monday, the Minister for Small Business admitted difficulties in relocating the 225 employees sacked following the meatwork’s closure but was adamant that residents be open to moving for new jobs.

Red Cross community development officer Colina Meadows has been travelling to Wagga for work for more than seven years and spends more than $250 per week on petrol.

She said Mr McCormack’s comment that “sometimes you have to travel when you work to find a job and sometimes you even have to move” was fundamentally flawed.

“In my role, I’m dealing with poverty all the time and there’s not a lot of opportunity anywhere at the moment,” Mrs Meadows said.

“It’s all well and good to say ‘move for employment’ but there’s no guarantees for work when you get to bigger centres anyway.

“My youngest daughter used to work at the meatworks and now has a Cert 4 in Aged Care and is still finding it difficult to find jobs, both in town and in Wagga.”

Mrs Meadows said people in her position were also spending money outside Cootamundra as a result of their travel and argued more must be done to provide jobs and businesses opportunities in smaller towns.

“When i finish work here at 4.30pm, I’ll always do my shopping in Wagga for convenience’s sake and that’s money that isn’t going back into Cootamundra,” she said.

“Spending money outside of town is just more convenient.

“Besides, if people keep having to move for work and no money is spent in town, there won’t be communities like Cootamundra anymore.”

Mr McCormack’s comments received a mixed reception on social media, with Cootamundra locals taking to Facebook to voice their concerns.

Resident Kim Lee queried whether Mr McCormack had ever relocated for work and understood the current employment climate.

“I would like to know if he has ever moved for work,” Mrs Lee said.

“There are not a lot of jobs anywhere in NSW.

“How are young adults with no assets and little in qualifications supposed to move?”