LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
ON Wednesday, February 1, Heyfield held a meeting to impress on our government the importance of the timber industry.
Instead of making a personal appearance, Premier Daniel Andrews sent his representative, Eastern Victoria MLC Harriet Shing.
With the livelihoods of more than 7000 workers and their families in peril, you would expect to see someone in charge, and not a rep.
These workers are not asking for handouts, they are asking for the right to work.
Without the mill, Heyfield will not survive.
We want Daniel Andrews to come here and tell us what his solution to our employment problem will be, and what he plans on replacing our two billion dollar a year timber export with.
Common sense tells us that you can’t take 7000 jobs away without having some sort of backup.
Daniel Andrews owes us an audience if he is going to destroy the lives of so many people, he should at least have the guts to face us.
Without the mill, people are going to lose everything they have worked for, through no fault of their own.
This is no exaggeration. It will be devastating, and some people cannot cope.
Families will be tested and some will not pass the test.
My family has lived in Heyfield since 1965.
This is not just a community it is a family.
When there is someone in need, this town just rallies.
It never ceases to amaze me what a big hearted generous town we live in.
We are not a rich community, not dollar wise anyway, but everyone helps.
I don’t think I’m alone when I say I really don’t think Daniel Andrews gives a rats about the Leadbeater’s possum.
All he is interested in is the green vote and this is just despicable.
And why does no-one ever discuss what the alternative to Australian hardwood is?
Timber will have to be imported and most likely from countries that don’t have such strict rules.
Timber is a renewable resource; the alternatives aren’t.
