Mr Andrews said he was confident the Stawell Gold Mines had engaged in an active process to attempt to re-open the site after it entered into a care and maintenance phase in December and sacked 150 employees.

“There are some people out there talking a bit of doom and gloom and I know it was challenging for those workers who had to go and find alternative employment,” he said.

“But the process and the talk that the mine could re-open is very real so let’s allow that process to work its way through. 

“I am told they are exploring a gold vein there at the moment and a particular type of gold at a particular depth, they are doing a whole lot of scientific work to determine whether or not it is possible to extract it.” 

Mr Andrews also said the Big Hill open-cut mine proposal was something the community needed to have ownership of.

“If the proponent can convince the community that this is something that is worth doing, obviously that will be relevant to whether approval is given,” he said.

“The most important thing is to listen to the community and to get as much community involvement in that process as possible.” 

Mr Andrews said the Nectar Farms was an exciting development and had potential to attract many jobs to the region. 

“We are working very closely with the council and the company, particularly from an energy point of view and the Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio has been very much involved in this,” he said. 

Ripon MP Louise Staley said Mr Andrews still did not have any answers for the growing jobs problem in Stawell.

“Jobs are flying out the door fast under Daniel Andrews’ watch, our communities are suffering whilst he fails to act.” Ms Staley said.