Logging Industry

Leaving only the ASH

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Originally published at: 

https://vnpa.org.au/leaving-only-the-ash/

The Andrews Government is torn between helping a group of workers in a small country town fighting for their jobs and caving in to a group of Melbourne investors happy for taxpayers to relieve them of their responsibilities, writes Michael Spencer.

The problem for the Andrews Government is that if it caves in to pressure over the Heyfield sawmill, what is the precedent that will be set? Why shouldn’t it then help workers at milk factories in northern Victoria, or any other rural business facing closure?

Heyfield’s claims for government assistance are weaker than most. When Australian Sustainable Hardwoods (ASH) bought the Heyfield sawmill from Gunns Limited in 2012, it was already damaged goods.

Heyfield mill: Victorian Government signs agreement to buy Gippsland sawmill

Monday, July 3, 2017

Originally published at: 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-03/heyfield-timber-mill-victoria-signs-buyout-agreement/8672178

The Victorian Government is expected to formally announce the deal to purchase the mill later today. (ABC News: Stephanie Anderson)

The Victorian Government has struck a deal to keep open Australia's largest hardwood sawmill, at Heyfield in Victoria's east, but workers are warning up to 20 contractors could be out of work in weeks.

Moves to save Leadbeater's possum will put timber jobs at risk, Victorian government told

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Originally published at: 

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/moves-to-save-leadbeaters-possum-will-put-timber-jobs-at-risk-victorian-government-told-20170517-gw746y.html

The Andrews government has been told it must choose between saving Victoria's endangered emblem the Leadbeater's possum or hundreds of timber industry jobs.

Victoria's logging industry faces supply dilemma

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Originally published at: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA0squdhX_I

In 2009, 75,000 ha of Victoria’s forests were burnt in the Black Saturday bushfires. Over a 3rd of that was forests earmarked for the logging industry. The prospect of bushfires are never calculated into long term planning or log contracts with mills. Couple this situation with other bushfires and a history of overlogging and the result is unprecedented environmental destruction and habitat loss, but also a huge shortfall in the logs available to the logging industry.  

In 2013 the Heyfield mill knew their supply would be cut back in 2017.

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