Union urges Lion to sell Boag’s Brewery instead of shutting its Tasmanian production

A union representing workers at Boag’s Brewery in Launceston has launched an online petition and appealed to Tasmania’s premier to try to stop the site from closing, arguing that owner Lion should sell the brewery and brand rather than end production in the state.

Lion said earlier this month that it planned to stop brewing at the historic Tasmanian site by November. The company cited a long decline in Australia’s beer market and rising costs, saying the brewery has been operating at about 20% of capacity for years and is no longer viable.

The United Workers Union said the brewery employs about 40 people and remains important not only for manufacturing jobs but also for tourism, hospitality and the broader economy in northern Tasmania. The petition says that if Lion no longer wants to brew Boag’s in Tasmania, it should sell the business to a buyer willing to keep production there.

Boag’s opened in 1881 and is one of Australia’s longest continuously operating brewing sites. Ben Dudman of the United Workers Union said the brewery’s 145-year history made it part of Launceston’s identity and that the effects of closure would extend beyond the plant itself.

Amy Brumby, also with the union, said keeping production in Tasmania was critical to preserving local jobs and protecting the brand’s connection to the state. She pointed to Lion’s earlier closure of West End brewing in Adelaide as a warning for workers in Launceston.

The dispute highlights broader pressure across the beer business, where weaker demand and higher operating costs are forcing companies to reassess older facilities. The outcome in Launceston could become a closely watched example of how brewers, unions and governments respond when a heritage brand no longer fits current economics.

Asked about a possible sale, a Lion spokesperson said the company had explored “every possible way” to make the brewery viable amid cost inflation and falling beer demand nationwide. The spokesperson said Lion would continue engaging on the future of the site and remained committed to Tasmania through the Boag’s Brewhouse in Launceston, which will stay open.

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff said Lion had made its position clear and that decisions about the brewery and the Boag’s brand remained with the company. He said the government wanted to focus on future development opportunities for the precinct.

Rockliff also referred to A$1 million in state funding provided in 2023 to keep Boag’s visitor center open. Lion said when it announced the closure that it would repay that money. The premier said he wanted those funds directed toward redevelopment opportunities and added that the government would welcome discussions aimed at keeping the building and brewery precinct in Tasmanian hands.

Labor lawmaker Janie Finlay criticized both Lion and the state government, saying workers should not bear the cost of high operating expenses such as power and water. She said Tasmania could not afford further losses in jobs, investment and manufacturing confidence in the north.