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WC190724_Digital_Edition.pdf

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www.wangarattachronicle.com.au

Phone (03) 5723 0100

Weekend Edition

FRIDAY, July 19, 2024

$2.00 INC. GST

BASKETBALL DUNK: NBL GAME FOR REVAMPED STADIUM

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RALLY AGAINST VIOLENCE

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IT’S SHOWTIME

BLUES FESTIVAL RETURNS

ROLL up, roll up to the wonderful Great Moscow Circus which opened its Wangaratta season last night at the old rodeo grounds at the rear of the Wangaratta Showgrounds. Armenian clown Girgak, along with dancers Valeria, Kasey, vocalist and ringmaster Elly, Tamika and Tianni, along with other world renowned performers are all set to wow audiences over the next week. Story page 2 PHOTO: Kurt Hickling

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JOBS LOST

23 redundancies at Merriwa Industries as cost of living gp pressure bites

WANGARATTA’S Merriwa Industries is looking to bounce back after having 23 full-time positions become redundant in recent months, off the back of a reduction in consumer demand due to high cost of living pressures. Merriwa announced 13 redundant positions across its timbers and packaging divisions, due to a drop in sales, the result of a downturn in the economy. There have also been two finance positions made redundant

BY STEVE KELLY skelly@ nemedia.com.au

as a result of the changes to these two divisions. Prior to these redundancies in May, Merriwa had 10 people take up an offer of voluntary redundancy, including one team member living with a disability. In total, across both phases of the process, were the equivalent

of 23 full-time positions affected. Merriwa is one of the larger employers in Wangaratta, employing about 270 staff in an ‘integrating employment’ setting. Around 150 staff members are people living with a disability. All other divisions – Park Lane Nursery, contract services, Merriwa community services, and packaging divisions in Wodonga - have had no changes to their workforce numbers. Merriwa CEO Bart Crawley cited the lack of new homes being

built as one of the major contributors to the reduction in demand for structural beams produced at the Greta Road site. “This is the fifth consecutive year we will be making a loss and we just can’t keep holding on, hoping that the industry will pick up,” Mr Crawley said. “Latest industry predictions are that it won’t be until 2026 that we will see a return to growth of any significance.” ■ Continued page 3

VANDALS DAMAGE RESERVE

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