Timber Town’s opinion
On May 23 2023, without any prior warning, the Victorian government announced the closure of the native timber industry on December 31, 2023 for commercial harvest in the east of the state, and June 30, 2024 for community forestry in the west. The option of five-year Forest and Fire Management Services Agreements for harvest contractors is a positive development. But for haulage operators there is no opt in pathway.
They will be forced to take a package which fundamentally fails to recognise the value of their business or continue under stand-down arrangements to June 30, 2024, and then exit.
A contract payout is not compensation. The community will be increasingly confronted with what this decision means in practice.
Timber Towns Victoria estimates 2650 jobs will disappear and the economy of regional Victoria will drop by $714 million.
What will this mean for your town, your school, the local services you rely on? Meanwhile firewood to heat your home will come from somewhere else, if you can pay for it. Timber for your deck from South East Asia or further.
We won’t save the planet by putting more pressure on other people’s resources.
AFCA and other forest industry representatives have been seeking to meet with Premier Allan, to date unsuccessfully.
A government that had the courage of its convictions would front up to the people and communities most affected and tell them directly how their multi-generational businesses are unsustainable. And how a contract termination payment is fair compensation for a lifetime of hard work, six years of lost earnings and incalculable stresses and anxieties.
For members of the community concerned about or affected by these decisions make sure you write, call or email your local member of Parliament and let them know.
Tim Lester
Australian Forest Contractors Association
Christmas message from local member
AS the new year approaches and we commence the holiday season, I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and safe and Happy New Year.
I hope that the holiday season will provide an opportunity for all to spend time with friends and family and enjoy all that Gippsland has to offer.
As I reflect on another year as the State Member for Gippsland South, I am grateful for the continued support of my electorate and colleagues and for the opportunity to continue to serve the people of Gippsland South as we work together to achieve a better future for all. I also wanted to take the opportunity to thank those who have positively contributed to our community throughout the year – whether that be as a volunteer at a local sports club, a local educator, an emergency services professional or volunteer or in many, many more ways.
I thank you for your time and effort that has helped make our community a better place to work and live.
Thank you especially to those that will continue to work hard throughout the holiday season to protect and support our community while the rest of us take time off.
May your holiday season be filled with peace and happiness.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Danny O’Brien
Member for Gippsland South
Improve your health in 2024
AT this busy time of year, we hear so much about making New Year’s resolutions in an effort to improve our health.
Eat better, drink less, exercise more, quit smoking, drink more water.
While these are all important steps in helping reduce your stroke risk, one of the simplest things you can do which could save your life is get your blood pressure checked.
Blood pressure is the single biggest modifiable risk factor for stroke and it can be managed with medication.
High blood pressure damages blood vessel walls and makes them weaker causing a burst blood vessel and a stroke.
Around 4.1 million of us have high blood pressure and many of us don’t realise it.
Unfortunately, high blood pressure is a silent killer, it has no symptoms. The only way to know if it is a health issue for you is by having it checked by your doctor or pharmacist.
You can control your blood pressure by reducing your salt intake and changing your diet and lifestyle, particularly through regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight.
We often hear stories from survivors of stroke and their carers that stroke changed their family’s life over the Christmas period.
Often, they miss the warning signs because they were celebrating or didn’t want to be a burden on their family. But it is always better to be safe rather than sorry.
Stroke can change lives in an instant. It attacks the brain – the human control centre – and can strike anyone of any age.
More than 27,400 people had a stroke for the first time in 2023, which equates to one every 19 minutes.
The good news is 80 per cent of strokes can be prevented.
Make having regular blood pressure checks a priority in 2024.
Be aware of your stroke risk and take steps to manage it.
Do it for yourself and do it for your family.
If you think you are too young to have a stroke, think again.
One in three people who has a stroke is of working age.
It will only take five minutes, and it could save your life.
Dr Lisa Murphy
Chief Executive Officer – Stroke Foundation
