Three years after the Victorian State Government’s announcement and promise of increasing the state supply of plantations there is still no word of when or where these plantations will take place, according to Timber Towns Victoria. Source: Timberbiz
TTV says that as part of the November 2019 announcement – Securing the Future For Forestry Industry Workers from the Victorian State Government to phase out the Native Timber Industry – statements and promises were made at the time and more recently in regards to plantation supply for the Victorian timber industry and manufacturers.
“This glossy statement is far from the truth of what is happening. Mills are closing. Jobs have been lost. That is the hard cold truth,” Timber Towns Victoria president Cr Karen Stephens said.
“These promises are far from reality. We have not seen any plantations established since this announcement more than three years ago, and workers in the industry are facing more uncertainty than ever before, with many long-term workers being stood down from the industry.”
The State Government in 2019 stated that to assist businesses as they prepare for the transition, it would provide dedicated funding to help local mills invest in new equipment that will allow them to process alternative timbers and support local jobs.
“That includes Australian Paper, which will be supported to transition to a full plantation-based supply, ensuring it operates until at least 2050, providing support to its almost 1,000-strong workforce and stability to its customers,” the government said.
However, TTV points out that Australian Paper was not transitioned to a full plantation-based supply and that the paper lines of the mill will not be operating beyond this year leaving Australia with no capacity to manufacture white copy paper.
TTV says that the state government also said that it was allocating $110 million Victorian Budget 2017/18 to help “ensure ongoing access to affordable, locally produced paper products”.
About a year after this initial announcement, it was announced that a $2 million grant was provided to VicForests to establish the $10 million Victorian Forest Nursery in Nowa Nowa in East Gippsland. This was subsequently scrapped.
TTV says that there was no further action on the promise of plantations until in September 2022 when the State Government handed the problem to a private plantation business.
“Yet it’s now March 2023, more than three years after the state Government announcement and promise of increasing the state supply of plantations, with no word of when or where these plantations will take place,” TTV says.
