Whyalla steelworks loses 500 jobs as the blast furnace closes for good, with 100 more labour-hire roles to go
Administrators KordaMentha confirmed on 14 September that the coal-fired blast furnace at the Whyalla steelworks in South Australia would close permanently, according to ABC News and InDaily. About 500 jobs are expected to go, cutting the workforce from 1,700 to 1,200, and another 100 labour-hire workers will also lose work. The state and federal governments announced a joint support package of about $10 million for re-skilling and training. AAP reported that about 250 people had accepted redundancies by the time of its report. BHP and Nyrstar were named as possible employers.
Whyalla is a single-industry city, so a loss of hundreds of jobs spreads to contractors, shops and rents. Re-skilling funds help, but the jobs on offer elsewhere are fewer than those lost, which leaves a gap that local employers cannot fill.
If you work for a Whyalla contractor, the federal jobs agency and the South Australian government have set up individual support. Residents of other steel towns should note the signs.
Governments say there are plenty of opportunities and have promised to work with every worker, including contractors, who loses a job.
Critics noted that early reports of about 150 positions with BHP and Hallett Group fell well short of the jobs being cut, as the World Socialist Web Site and others argued.
Confirmed: the closure, about 500 plus 100 jobs and the roughly $10 million package. Not confirmed: how many displaced workers have secured new jobs. Watch for placement figures from the South Australian Government.
DailyDrop Australia edition No. 15 · Morning · MON., OCT. 19, 2026