Weston Aluminium calls for lifting of CSG restrictions to avoid mass job losses

A Hunter Valley aluminium waste recycling plant is warning of mass job losses in the manufacturing sector if the New South Wales Government does not ease restrictions on coal seam gas (CSG) activity.

Weston Aluminium says the viability of its remelting plant has already been eroded by rising gas and electricity price hikes.

It says worse is yet to come, with prices tipped to double within three years, due to gas shortages.

The company's managing director Garbis Simonian says the government needs to act.

"You know the solution is for the government to start allowing coal seam gas development in selected areas," he said.

"New South Wales is a large state and there are a lot of areas that aren't critical for agriculture, like industrial areas, power station buffer zones.

"There are a lot of areas where they can explore for gas with minimal impact."

Mr Simonian said procrastination on CSG projects is hurting local industries.

"The scientific evidence is out there from the independent scientist, that it is just another extractive industry that can be managed," he said.

Mr Simonian said the government needs to show courage by approving CSG projects. "We need to work. We don't all want to go on the dole and this is the problem. So what we need is some courage and vision from the state government," says Simonian.