Union slams export of sawlogs

Posted on May 31, 2009, 9:09am and updated on June 1, 2009 at 9:03 am

The region’s timber union boss has slammed a state-owned forestry company for signing a deal to export 100,000 tonnes of sawlogs from South East pine plantations.

Union leader Brad Coates yesterday called on the State Government to halt the export of sawlogs from the South East by Forestry SA, which he claimed would cost local jobs.

However, Forestry Minister Paul Caica said the logs would stay in the South East if local processors wanted them.

“The logs we’re exporting are simply the logs that operators in the South East don’t want,” Mr Caica said.

Earlier, Mr Coates said the export of sawlogs was selling jobs overseas.

“Any proposal by Forestry SA to export sawlogs should be scrapped immediately and it is disappointing that the State Government had failed to act on the issue,” he said.

“The State Government should be supporting local jobs and local industry and this is not done by selling whole sawlogs overseas, which may well end up being imported back into Australia as finished products, which puts extra pressure on the industry.”

He said the South East was already reeling from 80 job losses at the Nangwarry Carter Holt Harvey mill that had devastated many families.

Mr Coates claimed any unallocated logs should be put out again for tender.

“I know of companies which would like to bid for those logs,” he said.

He said the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union had for some time called on the state and federal governments to initiate an industry plan involving stakeholders to secure the future of the industry and jobs in the timber sector.

Mr Coates claimed the industry needed strong political leadership and a facilitated process whereby government, industry and unions work together to minimise job losses and maximise value adding, investment and sustainability.

But Forestry SA chief executive Brian Farmer said the sawlogs being exported were small, short or pulp logs that were not favoured by the large sawmill operators such as Carter Holt Harvey.

“It is an opportunity to clear some of these logs out of the system,” Mr Farmer said.

He said log availability in the Green Triangle was below full demand.

“This will improve log quality in the region and we anticipate that this will also improve productivity and performance at local operations over the next 12 months,” Mr Farmer said.

He said the move would also boost employment in the harvesting and transport sectors.

“These logs are small, short or pulp logs … the small diameter log is not the most profitable log,” Mr Farmer said.

Meanwhile, Mr Coates said the the union was also critical of Forestry Minister Paul Caica’s comments about assisting redundant workers at Nangwarry.

While government agencies had been making all the right noises regarding the redundancies, Mr Coates said there was still no offer of financial assistance for the training needs of the effected workers and “this was disappointing”.

Union slams export of sawlogs

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