The Ensign spoke to Ryan and McNulty co-owner Greg McNulty last week and he, at the time, was concerned that the uncertainty regarding timber supply might lead to job cuts in the future.
Mr McNulty said he was relieved that the timber release plan has been confirmed.
‘‘We are pleased to see that the government is starting to address the issues we have been facing,’’ Mr McNulty said.
‘‘I was away last week, so I haven’t had a chance to delve into the nuts and bolts of it all, but I will be going through the details now we have them.’’
Victoria’s timber industry and the jobs it supports will be aided by a new allocation order and the development of new timber plantation sites in Gippsland.
Agriculture and Regional Development Minister Jaclyn Symes recently announced the first sites as part of the government’s record $110 million investment in native plantation timber.
That includes 550ha of crown land close to Maryvale and Yallourn North in the Latrobe Valley which will be planted with native blue gums.
These sites will start being planted in the winter with more plantations planned for 2020.
‘‘We’re getting on with planting more than 500ha of new plantation forest this winter — providing long-term timber supply for Victoria, which will protect jobs and support regional communities,’’ Ms Symes said.
‘‘The new allocation order also provides certainty for the timber industry this year, as we continue our work towards a long-term solution that balances job protection with conservation — and a boost in the use of plantation timber.’’
The state government announced that updated allocation order this week.
That should help to provide certainty to timber mills and workers across the state, and ensure supply for the coming year, while a long-term sustainable industry pathway is developed.
Importantly, the order includes improved spatial data — boosting the capacity of the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning to enforce logging regulations and protect Victoria’s native forests.
This allocation order, which reduces the overall area available for timber harvesting by 5000ha, should not affect VicForests’ ability to meet contracts during the upcoming year.
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