Garry Squires, Warren Fenner, Andy Westaway, Mitch Fenner, Melina Bath at the Orbost Timber meeting.
The East Gippsland town of Orbost believes the planned end of native timber harvesting could strip their town of more than 37% of its workforce. Source: Timberbiz
A meeting in the town this week included AFCA’s Carlie Porteous, Gary Blackwood, four East Gippsland Shire Councillors, the Howitt Society’s Secretary Garry Squires and dozens of haulage and harvest operators and their staff, mill workers who attended – shared their views and are prepared to advocate for their industry’s survival.
The meeting, organised by Forest and Wood Communities Australia, heard that Orbost could stand to lose more than other timber towns and that the job losses could occur sooner than in other towns. That belief was held because many of Gippsland’s timber towns are closer to employment opportunities in different industries.
Mr Squires said there were 115 full-time jobs directly dependent on the timber industry in Orbost and estimated a further 60 “peripheral” jobs would be affected by the closure.
“We know there are a bit under 500 full-time jobs in the Orbost district. So, the 115 jobs represent 25% of all full-time jobs in the district. It’s quite significant. And that’s just the direct employment,” he said.
Mr Squires said the numbers were obtained last year by calling VicForests, as well as all timber industry contractors, sawmills, and companies and asking how many people they employed.
Addressing the large crowd, the Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria Region and Assistant Shadow Minister for Public land Use, Melina Bath acknowledged the critical importance of a sustainable native timber industry to the town’s future.
“Victoria has a world class and environmentally sustainable hardwood timber industry which is being destroyed by the ideologically driven Andrews Labor Government,” Ms Bath said.
“It is quite shocking that Labor MPs have no qualms when making decisions about the demise of our timber towns, but cruelly ignore requests to meet with locals and listen to the plight of our Orbost community who are bearing the brunt of Spring Street decisions,” she said.
“Almost 40% of Orbost’s workforce is employed directly or indirectly in the native timber industry.”
Ms Bath said the town’s viability was dependent on harvest, haulage and mill workers and support industries including mechanics, hospitality, schoolteachers and healthcare.
“Our East Gippsland mills are being starved of wood supply – listening to locals, it’s clear their mental anguish amid financial uncertainty is palpable,” she said.
The Andrews Government was failing on every front to keep its promise to guarantee timber resource supply until 2030.
“It is all ‘take’ and no ‘give’ in terms of harvesting area,” Ms Bath said.
“By gazetting the Greater Glider Action Statement, the Andrews Government has the power to close the loophole in the Code of Practice for Timber Production, thereby reducing loss of coupes through third party litigation.
“Along with my Nationals colleagues, I will continue to fight for timber jobs and the survival and prosperity of our timber towns,” she said.
“Only a change of Government on 26 November will ensure our rural and regional communities receive the respect they deserve, and Victoria continues to produce environmentally sustainable hardwood timber.”
