Thursday 14 February 2019
I congratulate VicForests on successfully securing a further three-year Responsible Wood standard certification.
The re-certification is a testament to the work being done in the industry to ensure it continues to meet stringent environmental and social responsibility standards.
Despite this Daniel Andrews continues to work against the timber industry’s efforts to secure a sustainable future.
Mill workers truck drivers harvesters and furniture manufacturers in northern Victoria Gippsland and western Victoria are still waiting for the Andrews Government to put out critical Timber Release Plans that are long overdue.
Without a roadmap of timber availability the industry and tens of thousands of Victorians who rely on it to pay the bills and support their family are in limbo.
The Labor Government’s anti-timber green ideology is destroying confidence in Victoria’s timber industry and threatening the jobs of up to 50 000 Victorians.
Labor’s new Agriculture Minister who is also the Member for Northern Victoria representing timber communities including Benalla Murrindindi Healesville and Powelltown has an opportunity to end Labor’s efforts to quietly bring this $7 billion industry to extinction.
Jaclyn Symes’ priority must now be to put out the Timber Release Plans to secure this industry’s future.