Victoria’s wood and fibre sector, already hard-hit by devastating bushfires and a static plantation estate, is creaking under the weight of increasing labour shortages. Source: Timberbiz
“COVID and the current tight labour market, amplified by the lack of access to overseas workers, are causing massive staff shortages for our members,” Victorian Forest Products Association CEO Deb Kerr said.
“Not only is there not enough timber to build houses for Victorians, we also cannot access enough workers for our nurseries, for planting trees, to harvest, truck drivers, and in the mills,” she said.
Ms Kerr said that despite offering competitive pay and flexibility where possible, advertisements for a range of positions were simply not attracting interest, constraining the ability to harvest and process trees with flow on impacts across the supply chain.
“While government programs support expanding the plantation estate, this will be for nothing without the crucial workforce to support this essential industry,” Ms Kerr said.
“There is no magic wood fairy to plant the trees we need overnight.
“In the short term, we ask the Victorian Government to grant the forestry sector an exemption from the close contact self-isolation requirements to attend their workplace,” Ms Kerr said.
“In the longer term, the forestry industry requires a labour and skills plan to address the workforce shortages.”
