Native Forest Transition Group making ‘good progress’ as draft support packages tabled at meeting

The timber industry has finally been given its first glimpse into the support packages that would become available when the McGowan Government’s contentious native logging ban is implemented in 2024. The draft business support packages, aimed to assist the businesses affected by the closure of the timber industry, were supplied to both the Native Forest Transition Group and the business sub-group last week. Forestry Minister Dave Kelly said the draft support packages provided businesses three pathways including financial assistance for businesses wanting to “retool” for future timber work after 2023, financial assistance for businesses seeking to transition into a new industry and payouts for businesses which will close in the coming years. “There are three pathways; retooling within the native forest industry, changing the nature of your business to a new industry or businesses who want to wind down because of the decision (to end native logging),” he said. Mr Kelly said there were also “additional resources” being allocated to help businesses that wanted to continue operating until the end of 2023 before deciding which pathway they would choose. “In addition to (the three pathways) there is some financial assistance for companies that want to continue right up until the end of the forest management plan in 2023,” he said. “There have been some requests to provide people with some additional resources to get them through to the end of 2023 while they know what the full shape of the next forest management plan will be.” The leading timber body representing businesses during the transition process, the Forest Industries Federation of WA, slammed the draft packages and labelled them “offensive.” FIFWA chief executive and former Labor representative Adele Farina said the draft support packages were “insulting” and were nowhere near the amount of money business needed. “The eligibility criteria are so restrictive, very few businesses will be able to access the packages and even if a business meets all the eligibility criteria, payment remains at the discretion of the Minister for Forestry,” she said. “The payout amount is so minuscule, it doesn’t justify the effort of the application process.” Ms Farina said businesses which had workers leave in large numbers for other lines of employment were at risk of becoming financially unstable and therefore unable to access the support packages. “A business that becomes unfinancial due to no fault of its own and as a direct consequence of the Government’s policy decision, will become ineligible to access any of the business funding packages,” she said. In August last year Premier Mark McGowan announced the native timber industry would cease post-2023 in an effort to save more than 400,000 ha of jarrah, karri and wandoo forest. The decision to close the native timber industry will cost an estimated 400 jobs, mostly in the South West region. Feedback from the transition group on the draft support packages is expected by the end of the week. The next meeting for the Native Forest Transition Group is on February 17, while the business sub-group will meet on February 14.