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Labor Uncertainty Risking an End to Local Timber Industry

Labor’s Green coalition partners move to cut timber supply to Australian Paper.

By Portal Admin - 24th September 2018 - Back to News

Timber harvesters and haulage contractors in the Latrobe Valley have serious concerns about the future of their industry, while the Andrews Labor Government refuses to release details of timber availability.

Leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh, The Nationals candidate for Morwell Sheridan Bond and Member for Eastern Victoria Melina Bath met with harvesters and haulage contractors in the Latrobe Valley today to discuss Labor’s failures.

The Andrews Labor Government still hasn’t put out the latest Timber Release Plan, despite promising to deliver it by June, leaving mill workers, truck drivers and harvesters in Gippsland and north east Victoria with a very limited supply of timber to harvest.

Ms Bond said after the closure of Hazelwood Power Station, the last thing local communities wanted to see was more job losses.

"Our timber industry supports thousands of jobs that we can’t afford to lose, but we’ve heard today that Labor’s uncertainty has left just three months’ supply," Ms Bond said.

"As a former employee at Australian Paper, I know only too well what these jobs mean for people in the Valley and how important it is that the industry has a future.

"Workers and their families rely on the timber industry to pay the bills and put food on the table, but under Labor they don’t know if their jobs are safe.

"Daniel Andrews must stand up to his Greens coalition partners and put out the Timber Release Plans to give our timber workers and businesses job and investment certainty."

Just last week, The Greens put up a Bill in State Parliament, to terminate the Act that provides for a supply of timber to Australian Paper, the Latrobe Valley’s largest employer.

Mr Walsh said Daniel Andrews has abandoned regional Victorians at every turn in the past four years.

"The Nationals understand and value the people who rely on this industry to make ends meet," Mr Walsh said.

"Labor claims it’s a party for the workers, but then refuses to support a vital regional industry that provides 50,000 Victorians with good jobs, generating $7 billion a year for Victoria’s economy.

"It’s only a matter of time before Labor caves completely to its Greens coalition partners and seals the death of Victoria’s $7 billion timber industry and the loss of more jobs in the Latrobe Valley."

Source: http://gippsland.com/

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