Three of the Illawarra’s oldest continuous businesses have announced about 130 redundancies in the past week.

Boral yesterday announced more than 30 jobs will go with the closure of its Berrima Colliery. The small-scale colliery’s been operating since the 1920s.

Metals manufacturer MM Kembla, which has a hundred year history in the Illawarra has also flagged it will shed 70 jobs.

While the Illawarra Coke Company which recently celebrated its 100th birthday is closing down and shutting the Corrimal cokeworks, costing 28 jobs.

Throsby MP Stephen Jones says with five hundred jobs vulnerable at Gujarat NRE, it’s a critical time for the Illawarra and the federal government needs to commit to infrastructure projects to stimulate the regional economy.

“The high Australian dollar is making them less competitive. We need the infrastructure and we need assistance in the region to help us transform our economy. Again this is not the time to be stripping money out of government investments. This is a time to be investing in and assisting the local economy in places like the Illawarra,” he said.

“I renew my calls on the federal government to go ahead with the investment in the home of soccer, to go ahead with the investment in the Maldon Dombarton and the upgrade of Mount Ousley road.

These are critical infrastructure projects that will help stimulate the economy and the region,” said Mr Jones.