Agriculture Minister Murray Watt calls for clarity over Saputo’s Australian future

With a question mark hanging over hundreds of Saputo jobs, Agriculture Minister Murray Watt has called for clarity.

Saputo need to be clear about which Australian factories it intends to shut, Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt says.

In a speech to Canadian investors last month, company boss Lino Saputo Jnr announced the processor intended to downsize from 11 to five factories in Australia, but did not stipulate which sites were earmarked for closure.

Senator Watt told the Rural Press Club of Victoria today there was cross-industry support for greater certainty over Saputo’s future in Australia.

“I think Saputo absolutely need to be clear as quickly as possible about what their plans are, so people know what they’re dealing with,” Senator Watt said.

“I was really concerned to see those remarks from Saputo about plans to close down processing facilities, although there was a walking-back of some of those comments.

“You don’t always get producers and unions on the same side of an issue but this is one where they have come together with a shared concern about the future of Saputo.”

Federal Minister for Agriculture Murray Watt speaks at the 49th ALP National Conference 2023 in Brisbane. Picture: Dan Peled

Trade union and farming figures have echoed Senator Watt’s call in recent weeks.

United Workers Union dairy co-ordinator Neil Smith accused Saputo management of “lobbing threats from Canada”.

“It is a slap in the face to Saputo’s workers and their communities to learn about dairy closures from the media instead of directly from the company,” Mr Smith said.

Both Dairy Farmers of Victoria president Mark Billing and Australian Dairy Farmers president Rick Gladigau have appealed to Saputo to outline which factories are in the firing line.

A spokeswoman for Saputo this week said: “At this time, beyond the previously announced SDA network optimisation activities, no decisions have been made regarding its manufacturing footprint.”

The announcement follows moves by Saputo to sell its Melbourne and Sydney processing sites to Coles supermarket.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is examining the deal and recently push back a decision on whether to green light the transaction.

“There’s obviously an ACCC process underway and I don’t want to get in the way of that,” Senator Watt said.

“But I know there’s a lot of concern around the future of processing. We want to see more processors in this country, not less.”