SunRice has sought up to $15 million in Commonwealth funding for a proposed rice-cake manufacturing investment in the Riverina, with the Australian Government saying it is prepared to consider co-investment alongside the company.
Environment and Water Minister Murray Watt said the government had been meeting with SunRice, the union representing affected workers, the NSW Government and rice grower groups over the company’s situation in the region.
“I can confirm that we have advised SunRice that we are prepared to co-invest with them in new investment in a rice processing plant that would be about manufacturing rice cakes,” Watt said in an interview with ABC News Breakfast.
According to Watt, SunRice has indicated that the proposed investment could help protect existing jobs and potentially create additional positions. However, he said the government had not yet determined how much funding it would provide.
“SunRice have sought $15 million that they would match with their own funds,” Watt said.
The minister said the government would require a formal written proposal outlining the funding required and the number of jobs expected to be protected or created before making a decision on the investment.
“We haven’t put a figure on that,” Watt said. “What we’ve said to them is that we do need to see a formal written proposal that sets out the funding that would be required, the jobs that would be protected and created, and we’ll make a decision from there.”
The proposed manufacturing investment comes after SunRice announced changes to its Riverina operations earlier this month, including 78 redundancies and changes to 92 positions across its Deniliquin and Leeton mills and Australian Grain Storage. The company attributed the changes to reduced crop supplies associated with drought and water policy settings.
Watt said the government’s discussions with SunRice formed part of broader efforts to support jobs and manufacturing capacity in regional Australia, while the proposed co-investment remains subject to a formal proposal and government consideration.
