State Government announces grants of up to $50k for businesses set to close due to end of native logging

The State Government has announced funding support for businesses which will close due to the end of native forest logging. Closure of Impacted Business grants of up to $50,000 will be made available to assist with expenses resulting from closing a business, following the banning of the industry earlier this year. A total of $1 million is being made available, with companies needing to demonstrate more than half their business is reliant on native timber and they have not received any other Native Forest Transition funding. Forestry Minister Jackie Jarvis said the funding was the latest initiative by the State Government to help assist the transition. “This grant is focused on assisting those who chose not to transition into a new industry and are finding financial challenges with closing operations,” she said. Grant money can be used for financial, legal, and counselling services and assistance with selling or disposing of equipment and machinery. Ms Jarvis said the State Government had invested $350 million into new softwood plantations across the South West to continue to support forestry jobs. More than $80 million has been spent on supporting workers, businesses and communities transitioning out of the native forest industry since September 2021.