Page after page of blacked-out documents and no real information – that was the result of Wellington Shire Council’s attempts over almost four years to find out why state government decided to close the native forest industry.
The industry officially ground to a halt on January 1 this year.
The decision meant two of Australia’s most dynamic and innovative timber processors – Australian Sustainable Hardwoods at Heyfield and Radial Timber in Yarram – faced potential destruction and the loss of more than 200 jobs in the municipality.
Wellington Shire’s mayor, Councillor Ian Bye, said the council first sought clarification from the State Government about changes to the Victorian forestry sector via a Freedom of Information (FOI) request in July 2020, just months after the Victorian Government first announced substantial changes to the industry.
“After almost four years, interventions by the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC) and considerable investment, a heavily redacted document was finally received,” Cr Bye said.
“However it provided no detail of the scientific data used as the basis to end Victoria’s native timber harvesting industry, one that has been the backbone of small communities for generations.
IMAGE: January 1, 2024, marked the death of native timber logging, with the industry officially grinding to a halt. Wellington Shire attempted to find out why the State Government made the decision to close the industry early, only to be given blacked-out documents.
