It’s time to let our native forests do their real job again as homes for wildlife, carbon stores and protectors of soil & water
The international market has clearly rejected native forest woodchips. It is not your job to prop it up again at taxpayers’ expense.
For over 40 years Governments have subsidised this industry with underpriced logs, direct cash grants for industry promotion, profligate industry restructuring schemes, exemption from local government rates, fuel tax exemptions, uncompensated road damage by log trucks, port facilities, damage to the marine environment, unmeasured and untaxed carbon emissions and that’s not counting the damage to soil and water and the death and suffering of countless native birds and animals. Taxpayers should not be conscripted into sending more good money after bad to prop up this destructive industry.