The Gunnedah timber mill has been dealt a major blow after a recommendation to unlock national parks to sustain commercial logging was rejected by the State Government this week.
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Gunnedah Timbers had been pinning its hopes on a positive outcome, after years of lobbying to secure the future of the mill and its 28 staff.
The government tabled its response to an Upper House Parliamentary Inquiry on Tuesday, ruling out a recommendation to “immediately identify appropriate reserved areas for release to meet the levels of wood supply needed to sustain the timber industry”.
A recommendation to ban the creation of new national parks or extend existing ones was also rejected, along with proposed ‘tenure swaps’, where sections of national parks would be opened up for logging and areas of state forests not suitable for logging, would be reserved in place.
“The NSW Government does not support logging in national parks and has no plans to allow it through the implementation of tenure swaps or by other means,” the government stated.
The Gunnedah mill was confident the NSW Coalition would support the recommendations, including tenure swaps, after previous pledges to unlock national parks before it won office, and its public statements that it is doing all it can to sustain the industry.
“We’re very disappointed because the Coalition proposed to overturn the decision in the past,” Gunnedah Timbers Manager Paddy Paul said.
Despite the setback, there is some glimmer of hope.
The State Government has agreed to look at other ways to try and help the timber industry – including the possibility of potential logging in state conservation areas of the Nandewar and Brigalow regions.
This would allow Gunnedah Timbers to access larger logs in areas like Trinkey State Forest, and secure the future of the mill and its staff.
The government has commissioned the Natural Resources Commission to undertake work to assess the viability and any impacts, with a report on its findings to be handed down early next year.
However after years of to-ing and fro-ing and no certainty, the local timber mill needs answers now.
“We’re sick of it,” Mr Paul said.
“We’re logging in the Pilliga and forests around Gunnedah, but there’s not enough volume in the remaining land allowed for logging.
“It’s not close enough for the mill and not within the log specification – they’re too small.
“So we’re cutting unsustainably because we’re logging them too early.”
Mr Paul said if the mill can access Trinkey forest, it could alone sustain the business for five years.
“They’re mature, good, healthy size trees that the market is demanding, and we’re getting pushed towards these smaller ones.
“The future is very bleak.”
Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson said while he is supporting the mill, he is backing the government’s decision not to unlock national parks.
“Once you start opening up national parks, that would be a slippery slope for anyone to have access to do whatever they wanted to do in them.
“You open the door for other activities.”
Mr Anderson said, however, he will be lobbying for Gunnedah Timbers to have access to conservation areas.
But he admits he is “very disappointed and frustrated” with the decision making process so far, because there is still no clear answers.
“I’m always hopeful that we will be able to get a sustainable timber industry for Gunnedah Timbers through the opening of conservation areas and allowing them the timber they need close enough to them to make it viable with reduced transport costs.
“I’ve personally made the Premier aware of the situation,” Mr Anderson said.
