Submission to Inquiry into the experience of closures of electricity generators and other large industrial assets

The APS made this submission to a 2016 Inquiry into the experience of closures of electricity generators and other large industrial assets on workers and communities.

As psychologists we are concerned not just about the economic impacts of mass closures but also the flow-on psychosocial impacts on individuals, families and whole communities.

Whilst anxiety, grief and loss are realities following the closure of long-established industries which have dominated a region’s economy and character, closures can also provide opportunities for building vibrant, diversified, energy sustainable communities with good local jobs, and capable of lifting the prospects of all citizens. Strategies for just transitions require input from a range of stakeholders, including the company, all levels of government, the community, and local organisations.

Community-led transitions that identify the community’s needs and resources, involve community members in the formulation and control of change, and strengthen their capacity for action are critically important components of planned transitions.

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