Thursday, 7 April 2022

Timber industry

Mr BOURMAN (Eastern Victoria) (18:17): (1880) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change in the other place. This week I met with a delegation from the Victorian timber industry to discuss their concerns relating to both the proposed wind-down and closure of the native timber industry and, importantly, the immediate issue concerning large swathes of central Victorian forests that sustained significant damage during the ferocious storm of June 2021, which caused unimaginable damage to unharvested trees and dramatically increased the threat of devastating bushfires.

There are hundreds, even thousands, of trees lying on the ground, and all it would take is a single lightning strike for it all to burn. Immediately permitting logging of the storm-felled timber is not a zero-sum game; it is a win-win-win scenario where the timber industry can continue to operate, saving jobs, livelihoods and struggling regional businesses from going bust. It is a win-win because with the processing of the fallen timber we are reducing the very real risk of life-threatening bushfires as well as keeping the industry viable for the time being.

There are a few points: (1) there is a huge renewable resource of naturally felled timber available that is currently being curtailed from collection; (2) timber mills and logging businesses are ready, willing and able to step in and process it; (3) if left for much longer, the timber will be unusable and wasted; (4) if left to decay, the bushfire risk to Victorians is a genuine concern, (5) timber mill business operations have pivoted during COVID and are capable of improved protocols in reducing waste pulp, resulting in more usable timbers; (6) we are currently experiencing a timber shortage which is negatively impacting the housing market and mum-and-dad renovators; and (7) if the native timber industry closes, our state will lose access to valuable expertise and equipment used by logging coupe workers to create breaks and containment lines for fires. So the action I require from the minister is to immediately release this timber for harvesting.