Caltex closure out of NSW govt's hands, O'Farrell says

30/07/2012 - There is nothing the NSW government can do about the loss of jobs at Caltex's Sydney oil refinery, state premier Barry O'Farrell says.

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He said the loss of jobs — which could be as high as 600 — was bad for NSW.

Caltex Australia announced on Thursday it would close its Kurnell refinery in southern Sydney in the second half of 2014, shedding 330 jobs and leaving another 500 in doubt.

O'Farrell said he had spoken to Caltex managing director Julian Segal about the job losses — but nothing could be done.

"The decision has been made, it's been two years in the making," O'Farrell told Fairfax Radio.

"Regrettably we're going to see anywhere between 100, (and) as the company says, 600 estimated jobs lost.

"That's bad for NSW and just reiterates our concern about creating the economic conditions in NSW to get others to invest here."

The existing facilities at Kurnell will be converted to a major transport fuel import facility.

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