GANNAWARRA Shire Council will urge Murray Goulburn to work with any interested groups to ensure that value-added food manufacturing is returned to Leitchville.
Shire chief executive officer, Eric Braslis said re-opening the town’s dairy factory would provide a much needed boost to the sector in these difficult times.
A consortium has offered $3 million to purchase the factory and to produce cheddar cheese in a partnership with Murray Goulburn.
The proposal was revealed on Tuesday hours before Murray Goulburn directors met with the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull and Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce.
Andrew Gibbs, a spokesman for the consortium, said that Murray Goulburn had provided “a very negative response.”
“But our consortium is still of the view that this is good for the Leitchville community and, in the long term, good for Murray Goulburn shareholders and our surrounding farmers,” he said.
Murray Goulburn has declined to comment.
Two local ward shire councillors have expressed cautious optimism about the consortium’s proposal.
“If it comes off, it will be great for the area,” the mayor, Cr Lorraine Learmonth said.
“There have been many other attempts, so we will hold our breath.”
She suggested that it was an advantageous time politically and a successful venture would provide much-needed employment opportunities.
Fellow ward representative, Cr Neville Goulding said that the proposal “sounds excellent” and would mean the rebirth of Leitchville if the investors could process a premium product and return money to dairy farmers.
Mr Braslis said that council, as part of its advocacy and economic development strategies, recognises the need to ensure that it fosters its competitive advantages in agricultural and food processing opportunities as a means of stimulating the local and regional economies and creating employment opportunities.
“There is absolutely no doubt of the importance dairying plays not only in our communities, but the region as a whole and to have world class, state-of-the-art facilities such as the one in Leitchville not in operation is disheartening,” he said.
“Council understands that a private consortium has held conversations with the Federal Government to unlock this opportunity and reinstate the enormous potential that exists behind the doors of the unused
factory, a factory that has produced the most amount of sliced cheese in Australia.
“The sheer number of jobs that would come with the reopening, and the hope and confidence it would re-instil across our community would be enormous.”
