Eastern Victoria Region
Renee HEATH (Eastern Victoria) (14:04): (11) My question is for the Minister for Employment in the other house. Recently the Maryvale paper mill suspended its white paper production indefinitely due to lack of timber supply and the court’s decision to further restrict VicForests operations. This government has also decided to bring forward the deadline to end the native timber industry by 2030 without a thought for over 1000 jobs that rely on this industry in Gippsland, a region that has already been hard hit by the government’s job-culling policies. Some employees have worked at this mill for over 20 years. Can the minister please provide any advice to the employees who will lose their jobs and tell us what plans the government has to transition and support these workers and their communities into new work?