THE MINERALS Council of Australia says 8570 smelting and metal refining jobs could be lost by 2020 under the proposed climate change legislation.
According to the Concept Economics report, of the minerals processing job losses, the metal making and refining sector will be hardest hit, with 8570 lost by 2020, and 33,670 lost by 2030.
While amendments to the climate change legislation have insulated the aluminium smelting and other refining industries with transition assistance up to 2020, critics say it has only delayed the job losses.
The Minerals Council has criticised the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme as being “fundamentally flawed” because of its cost in jobs.
It has also pointed to the lack of a global emissions protocol and Australia’s leading position in emission reduction efforts, which it fears will see industry bearing the brunt of the impact.