Topics: Tahmoor coal mine

 

E&OE

 

BEN FORDHAM:

 

There are calls for the billionaire Sanjeev Gupta to pack up and sell his Tahmoor coal mine. The billionaire has stood down more than 250 workers. Overdue payments are piling up. But Sanjeev Gupta is refusing to pack up shop and sell the mine in the Southern Highlands. This is the same Sanjeev Gupta who forced Whyalla Steelworks into administration. The South Australian Government was forced to intervene after months of unpaid bills there. Now the Liberal frontbencher, Angus Taylor, is trying to persuade the billionaire to tap out of Tahmoor. He's written to Mr Gupta saying enough is enough. Ongoing issues cannot continue, and Angus Taylor whose area takes in the mine, says Sanjeev Gupta should take responsible action and do so now. Angus Taylor is on the line right now for us. Angus, good morning.

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

G'day, Ben. Good to be with you.

 

BEN FORDHAM:

 

Strong language from you to Sanjeev Gupta, but not before time.

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

No, look, the mine has been shut since earlier this year, or not operating since earlier this year, and now we've seen many of the workers being put off. Ben, there's nothing wrong with this mine, it's a great mine. And the miners just want to what their job is, which is to mine coal. And the mine's the heartbeat of our community. It's hundreds of jobs, local businesses, families depend on it. And we've just seen, as you you said, 250 people put off now. And so Gupta needs to either get the mine back up and running or sell it. And there are others wanting to take it on. They've been speaking to me and others. So this really matters to a lot of people. They're coal miners. We want to get the coal mine back up and running again.

 

BEN FORDHAM:

 

This is a guy who spends half his life flying around on a private jet. Has he got no conscience?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Well, look, it's time for him to get on and do the job here. This has gone on for too long. To be fair to him, he has been paying workers up until now, but it's got to a point now where people are incredibly frustrated. They've had enough, and I'm going to stand up for them and fight for them. That's why I've written to him and frankly enough is enough, Ben.

 

BEN FORDHAM:

 

He's claiming that some of these late bills are not his fault, he's saying the Diwali festival is to blame for late payments, and the Hindu celebration has impacted the release of cash from a credit fund controlled from India.

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Well, I don't want to go into his financing arrangements because I don't understand them. But what I do know is that he's putting off workers. This is a perfectly good coal mine, and it should be mining coal, and we need the coal. It goes down to the steelworks at Port Kembla, which is an incredibly important operation, of course, for Australia and Australians. And so, we need it up and running again. Now, there are two ways to get it back up and running again. Either he does it or someone else does it. So, he needs to make a decision on which way he wants to go. It's got to be one or the other.

 

BEN FORDHAM:

 

We're talking to Angus Taylor, the Liberal frontbencher, and Member for Hume. It was last year in about October, Angus, that the Australian Financial Review revealed that Mr Gupta is spending $10 million on a new renovation of his $30 million Potts Point mansion. He's also picked up a waterfront apartment on the Finger Wharf at Woolloomooloo. He paid at least $10 million for that. In 2021, he and his wife, Nicola, who was said to be among the largest landowners in the UK, paid $60 million for a London townhouse. So it really angers me, Angus, when people are rolling in cash and they leave other people with unpaid bills.

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Yeah, the financing of some of those projects seems to be getting a better deal than the financing of the Tahmoor coal mine, which is what I want to see addressed straight away. And it's just not good enough. It's not good enough. Look, this mine is incredibly important to my community. It's been going since 1979. So, we're up to 46 years. Since I've been the local member, I've fought hard for it. You know, it has challenges because it's on the edge of Sydney and there's all sorts of planning issues you've got to deal with. I've worked really hard with the mine over a long period of time to make sure it can stay up and running. It can do well, and it has, and it needs to be operating. And, you know, miners just want to mine. What's so extraordinary about this is they've been getting paid until now, but they've been frustrated because they want to do their jobs. Most people just want to get on and do their jobs. And that hasn't been possible. So, get on with it.

 

BEN FORDHAM:

 

Let's see if you get a reply from Mr Gupta. Thank you for jumping on the line.

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Good to be with you Ben.

 

BEN FORDHAM:

 

Angus Taylor, the Liberal frontbencher. This is Ben Fordham Live.

 

ENDS.