A re-elected majority Rockliff Liberal Government will extend all existing native wood supply contracts for 14 Tasmanian sawmillers beyond the 2027 expiry date to 2040.
The Tasmanian Premier will extend all existing native wood contracts from 2027 to 2040 – as the government doubles down on its support for native forestry ahead of the March 23 poll.
Premier Jeremey Rockliff – who yesterday revealed plans to create a “Wood Bank” preparing the State for “a rainy day,” said the policy would provide resource certainty at a time when the Victorian, WA and NSW governments are looking to lock up the resource.
“This is why we announced yesterday that we would make available up to 158,000 additional cubic metres of sawlog to the industry by unlocking the State’s Wood Bank,” the Premier said before adding that “with this additional volume coming online, we are now able to extend wood supply contracts will provide new certainty for multi-generational Tasmanian businesses.”
Wood Central understands that the policy surprised the local industry, leading the CFMEU to align with the Australian Labor Party (the major Opposition Party) and accusing the Premier of using native forestry as a political football.
This morning, Michael O’Connor, the National Secretary for the CFMEU Manufacturing Division, said the new policy “serves nobody but the (incumbent) Liberal Party, Bob Brown, and the Greens.”
“Timber workers, their families and communities will see this announcement for what it is: An irresponsible gambit which risks their livelihoods,” Mr O’Connor said.
However, Premier Rockliff rebuffed these criticisms, claiming that the new policy provides “certainty to invest, grow and create jobs.”
In a statement attributed to the Premier, as well as Resources Minister and Leader of the House, Felix Ellis, “a re-elected majority Rockliff Liberal Government will also update Sustainable Timber Tasmania’s Ministerial Charter to focus on supporting the development of Tasmanian based wood processing, as it has done in past years.”
According to Minister Ellis, the destruction of native forestry by the Victorian and WA Labor State Governments has put new pressures on Tasmanian forestry, “updating STT’s Ministerial Charter will ensure that its focus continues to be squarely on backing in the Tasmanian industry because Tasmanian wood should support Tasmanian jobs.”
“All of this is on top of the support provided to help Tasmanian sawmillers and processers upgrade and move up the value chain through our On-Island Processing Program,” Minister Ellis said.
“Already, this program has supported upgrades and projects across Tasmania, helping local businesses turn existing wood supplies and residues into higher-value products.”
Before adding those projects, “like McKay Timber’s truss plant facilities can manufacture wall and roof trusses, as well as upgrade finger jointing and laminating plants.”
Minister Ellis added that under Premier Rockliff’s watch, “Forestry has had the confidence and security to invest and grow. Jobs, investment, wood production and exports are up.”
“It’s a far cry from the desperate days of the Labor-Green Government,” Minister Ellis said, “when forestry was gutted, and two out of every three jobs in the sector lost.”
The push by the Tasmanian Government to double down on native forestry comes as Opposition Leader Rebecca White is wedged by the left and right factions of the ALP over native forests.
According to the most recent round of polling, the Liberal Government has a slender lead over the ALP, with a minority government as the most likely outcome.
