Local shock at timber ban

The decision by the state government to close the native timber industry six years ahead of its previous plan has sent shock waves through the industry locally.

Five local sawmills within Narracan electorate - at Noojee, Longwarry, Drouin West, Hill End and Erica - as well as nearby Powelltown are among those whose future is clouded by the announcement in last Tuesday’s state budget that harvesting of native timber in state forests will cease at the end of this year rather than in 2030.

Member for Narracan Wayne Farnham said he expected most of those involved in the industry across the state, especially in Gippsland that provides most of the native hardwood timber, would “walk away”.

Longwarry Sawmilling owner Bruce Craig said he was looking at closing the gates at the end of June.

It is estimated about 250 people are directly employed in the industry in mills, as harvesting contractors and owner/driver transport operators within Narracan electorate and thousands more across the state.

But many more that supply the industry, including those that service and maintain vehicles and equipment, as well as businesses in towns where timber industry operators are based will suffer flow-on effects.

Government Member for Eastern Victoria and Minister for Regional Development Harriet Shing said the government’s decision to allocate an extra $200 million to support workers and their families transition away from native timber logging earlier than planned would provide “certainty for timber workers, sawmill operators and their communities”.

“We (the government) put forward a plan to support the sector as it transitioned, backing long-term sustainable jobs and giving local workers confidence about their future”.

Ms Shing said timber supply had been cut drastically by increasingly severe bushfires, prolonged legal action and court decisions and there were no options for regulatory reform that prevented continuing legal injunctions.

There has been widespread criticism of the early end to logging of native timber from opposition members of parliament and industry bodies but conservation groups were thrilled.

Campaign coordinator for Victorian Forest Alliance Chris Schuringa described it as “a monumental win” and Victorian National Parks Association executive director Matt Ruchel said his group was elated.

However, Mr Farnham, Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria Melina Bath and Shadow Agriculture Minister Emma Kealy were savage in their criticism of the government.

Mr Farnham said it was devastating the decision was made without any warning and without “treating the industry and communities with respect”, while Ms Bath said it was the “final nail in the coffin.” Ms Kealy described it as “a final death warrant for a sustainable native timber industry”.

All accused the government of playing politics by pandering to the agenda of inner-city Greens voters.

Ms Bath said the government, although “broke”, was eliminating a sustainable industry with enormous economic generating capacity.

Industry group Forestry Australia said it was “dismayed” by the decision that failed all Victorians and gave no answers to where Victoria would source the timber forgone and Forest and Wood Communities Australia said it was “a massive blow for regional Victorian families”.