Forestry’s jobs-offshore strategy

THOUSANDS of tonnes of eucalypt logs piled on Hobart’s wharf for export represent wasted job growth opportunities for the timber industry. There is a way to create ongoing industry stability and these logs could be part of that solution.

Industry leaders who claim woodchip export reductions will translate into sawmill and veneer mill job losses are silent on the wasted potential of whole log exports, and the reality of a $250 million dollar opportunity to restructure the industry, specifically aimed at utilising this resource.

These logs, and the huge plantation estate already growing, represent the future of a viable and socially acceptable Tasmanian timber industry. These are regrowth logs of high quality — a future sawlog supply that is being exported whole for processing overseas. This is third world-style management of Tasmanian resources.

It is understood from Forestry Tasmania’s Annual Report that around 170,000 cubic metres of whole eucalypt logs were exported from major ports in Tasmania in 2003/2004. This represents over half of the legislated supply that must be made available to Tasmania’s sawmills. Currently, much of that supply comes from oldgrowth forests.

Given more time in the ground, these logs currently being exported would be perfect sawlogs in years to come, alleviating the need to log precious high conservation value, oldgrowth forests.

The $250 million of taxpayer money pledged in the Supplementary Regional Forest Agreement provides the financial assistance needed to retool and restructure the industry. This would facilitate the protection of oldgrowth forests called for by the community, without the threats to timber industry jobs.

Figures show that sawmills and the people they employ have been hard hit by escalating export woodchip levels over past decades. Systematic closures have seen regional sawmill numbers drop from 205 in 1980 to less than 40 today. Maintaining the status quo could see this decline continue. An honest and achievable industry transition to regrowth and plantation-based sectors can turn this around.

Whole log exports are a low value, jobs-poor option for an industry in need of change. With leading economists warning against such cash commodities in times of economic uncertainty, it’s time for this industry to get smarter.

Just this week, leading economist Saul Eslake, himself a Tasmanian, said on local ABC radio; “….a point I’ve been making for years which is that Tasmania’s future cannot lie predominantly in producing large volumes of unprocessed commodities, and hoping we can sell them simple by virtue of having a low price…”.

The Tasmanian government and timber industry must face up to what the local community and leading economists are saying. High-volume, low-value products are not the way of the future. On top of this, Japanese customers will clearly reject these products if they are sourced from oldgrowth forests.

The time is long overdue for a responsible timber industry — socially and environmentally acceptable to all Tasmanians. $250 million is more than enough get it there. To restructure, to increase employment, to protect the forests that Tasmanians cherish, and to end the debate that has hobbled us for too long.

Vica Bayley is Forests Campaigner, The Wilderness Society