Thursday, 6 February 2025

Maryvale paper mill

Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:29): My question is to the Premier. During a cost-of-living crisis 300 workers are currently locked out, without pay, at Opal’s Maryvale mill in the Latrobe Valley over EBA negotiations because the company is concerned about its ongoing viability. Some of those workers are here in the gallery today. Opal released a statement last week that reads:

Maryvale Mill’s operations have been severely impacted by the loss of wood supply from VicForests and the subsequent end to white paper manufacturing …

What is the government now doing to get the 300 locked-out workers back to work and putting food on the table and ensuring their jobs are not lost permanently because of Labor’s disastrous forestry policy?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:30): I thank the member for Gippsland South for his question. I know it is not ordinarily appropriate in the house to acknowledge people in the gallery, but I do acknowledge that in his question he referred to Opal workers who are here in the gallery. At the outset can I acknowledge that for those who are here today and for the some 300 others who work at this really important site in Gippsland – an important workplace for the Gippsland community – it has been a very difficult few weeks since I think 16 January when those workers were fairly unilaterally locked out without any particular notification from the company. That action of the company does concern me, and it does concern me for the reasons the Leader of the National Party has –

Members interjecting.

Jacinta ALLAN: I apologise to those workers in the gallery who are having their concerns interrupted by interjections of those opposite. What I was going to say was that the member for Gippsland South also acknowledged that this is having a big impact not just on those workers but on those families, and I do also want to acknowledge that impact on those workers and those families. I repeat: I am concerned at the way the company has gone about the way it has treated its workers in this situation. In terms of the status of the industrial dispute with the company, I am advised that there are EBA negotiations that are underway. As they are negotiations between a company and its workforce representatives –

Danny O’Brien: On a point of order on the question of relevance, Speaker, the question clearly is not about what the company and the workers are doing, it is what the government is doing, and I ask that the Premier come back to answering the question.

The SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant to the question that was asked.

Jacinta ALLAN: As I was saying, there are two matters here. There is the matter of the EBA negotiations, and I would suggest to the company that they do consider the impact that their action has had on workers and their families and the broader community. I would absolutely urge the company. When it comes to some of the contractual relationships –

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, it was specific to what the government is doing to ensure that these workers and jobs are not lost permanently, so we are asking the Premier to come back to that very specific question about what the government policy is in relation to these particular jobs.

The SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant to the question. I cannot direct the Premier how to answer the question. She was being relevant to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: As I said, there is the industrial relations issue and the way the company has gone about its actions, and I seriously urge the company to think about the consequences of its actions on its workers. On the issue of wood supply, the advice I have is there is a contractual matter between Hancock Victorian Plantations and the company that also needs to be resolved about the supply of wood to this mill.

Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:34): In announcing Labor’s policy to shut down the native timber industry, the former Premier stated with respect to Opal:

… these jobs are secure. Up to 1000 jobs at that Maryvale mill, up to 2050.

Since then white paper production has ceased, with the loss of 200 jobs, 300 workers are currently locked out and upstream contractors are also not being paid. Why did Labor mislead the mill workers of the Latrobe Valley?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:34): Again – and the member for Gippsland South goes to this in his question – we have been working through the department with the company on its ongoing operations. There is of course some recognition of the realities around the supply of timber in this state that have to be acknowledged, including the Supreme Court challenges that were taken as a result of actions by a previous environment minister in a previous government. I am focused –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for Rowville is warned.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is required to be factual. The Premier is attacking the opposition and denying the ban her government has imposed on this industry.

The SPEAKER: The member for Brighton knows that it is not for me to determine the facts of an answer – or a question, in fact. The Premier was being relevant to the question that was asked. I cannot direct the Premier how to answer a question. She was being relevant.

Jacinta ALLAN: The faux outrage by those opposite in their concern for workers belies the fact of the realities of decisions that have been taken previously. I am focused on those workers and providing them with the support that we can, acknowledging it is an incredibly difficult time for them and their families.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, it is the Labor government’s policy that cut down these timber workers. The question is narrow on relevance. Why did the Labor government mislead –

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

Mary-Anne Thomas: On the point of order, Speaker, the new Manager of Opposition Business knows that she cannot get up here and use points of order to rephrase questions.

The SPEAKER: Leader of the House, what is your point of order?

Mary-Anne Thomas: I ask that you rule her out of order. There was no point of order.

The SPEAKER: I have already ruled the point of order out of order, Leader of the House.