This piece is freely available to read. Become a paid subscriber today and help keep Mencari News financially afloat so that we can continue to pay our writers for their insight and expertise.

Administrators have permanently closed the blast furnace at the Whyalla steelworks in South Australia, cutting the site’s workforce from 1,700 to around 1,200. KordaMentha partner Sebastian Hams told staff on Monday the furnace’s recovery had become unsustainable and its failure inevitable, with redundancies unavoidable despite efforts to redeploy workers first.

The furnace was more than 60 years old and hadn’t been relined since 2005. SA Premier Peter Malinauskas, who joined the announcement in Whyalla, said it had “not been well cared for or looked after, particularly by the previous owner,” but insisted the closure won’t change the state’s long-term plan for steelmaking in the city.

A $10.2 million transition package, split between the state and federal governments, will fund retraining, counselling and support for contractors. BHP and mining company Hallett are both looking to hire displaced workers. The sale of the steelworks continues, with two bidders still in the race, and Malinauskas expects a deal to close by year’s end, with a decision on the site’s next operator due before Christmas.

Follow us across all major podcasting platforms and social media channels for updates that matter. Your support keeps independent journalism alive!

For more in-depth coverage on these stories and other news affecting Australia and the world, subscribe to readmencari.com. Support our independent journalism by listening to our podcasts on all major platforms and considering a subscription to help us continue delivering fearless reporting free from financial and political influence.

Got a News Tip?

Contact our editor via Proton Mail encrypted, X Direct Message, LinkedIn, or email. You can securely message him on Signal by using his username, Miko Santos.

The Mencari readers receive journalism free of financial and political influence.

We set our own news agenda, which is always based on facts rather than billionaire ownership or political pressure.

Despite the financial challenges that our industry faces, we have decided to keep our reporting open to the public because we believe that everyone has the right to know the truth about the events that shape their world.

Thanks to the unwavering support of our readers, we’re able to keep the news flowing freely. If you’re able, please join us in supporting Mencari.

Join over 1000 readers. Sign up here.

We’d love it if you could share the email with your friends! Just (copy the URL here.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theregisterau.substack.com/subscribe