Timber towns “treated like fools”

By Lachlan Ellis

A timber industry association has slammed the State Government, after the revelation that a timber phase out had been signed off, but not disclosed, before the 2018 state election.

Timber Towns Victoria (TTV) represents 10 Local Government Areas involved in the timber industry, including Moorabool, and TTV President Karen Stephens expressed her outrage in a media release earlier this month.

The news was reported by the Weekly Times in a 6 April article titled ‘Timber secret: Premier Daniel Andrews opted to end native forest logging before 2018 election’, showing that Mr Andrews signed off on a 2030 target to phase the industry out on April 9, 2018.

“The Premier then waited until November 6, 2019, to announce “all logging in native forests across the state (is) to stop by 2030”,” the Weekly Times reporter Peter Hunt wrote.

That date is nearly 12 months after the state election, which was held on 24 November, 2018.

Ms Stephens said the Premier had treated the forestry sector “like fools”.

“Furthermore, offering $100 prepaid EFTPOS cards to attend forums to gauge the

view of focus groups on native timber harvesting, specifically across the marginal

seats, is absolutely disgusting, and shows this government for what it truly is,” Mrs

Stephens said.

“The Victorian government knows the devasting flow-on impacts in small regional

communities where there are limited alternative employment opportunities, low

chance of re-skilling, and when 35 per cent of log sawmilling are sole income earner for their household.”

Moorabool Shire Mayor Cr Tom Sullivan is one of Moorabool’s two representatives at TTV, and also serves as the group’s Treasurer.

To read the full story – Simply click on the following link

https://issuu.com/themooraboolnews/docs/mn_2022-05-03/12

in the 3 May 2022 edition
OR
pick up a paper around your town.