WA native hardwood being harvested for firewood ahead of logging ban
Sawmillers in the state's South-West are alarmed that native hardwood is being harvested for firewood instead of being turned into furniture. The Forestry Minister has rejected their concerns, but the forest industry federation says there's evidence jarrah logs suitable for sawlogs are being stockpiled as firewood by the Forest Products Commission ahead of the ban on native tree logging at the end of the year.
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TVTranscript
00:00 In a southwest forest near Collie, stockpiles of Jarrah hardwood, normally destined for
00:08 local sawmillers, to be processed for furniture and construction.
00:14 But timber industry observers fear this wood won't be transformed into a fine table or
00:19 chair but burnt as firewood.
00:21 To see these logs going for firewood would be a criminal waste.
00:24 It just shouldn't happen.
00:25 Three weeks ago Jay Branson, together with other millers, were told by the Forest Products
00:30 Commission, which controls wood contracts, their supplies of saw logs was stopping immediately.
00:37 We budgeted upon there being some form of disruptions because of the downturn in the
00:42 industry but did not budget upon it being five months that it would cease.
00:47 The Forest Industry Federation is accusing the state government of breaking a promise
00:52 by stating that supply contracts would be honoured to the end of 2023.
00:58 Now we hear that the government has changed its decision, is reneging on those commitments
01:03 that it's given to the industry and has directed contractors to focus on firewood production
01:09 rather than saw log production.
01:11 The Minister for Forestry, Jackie Jarvis, has rejected the concerns.
01:16 She declined an interview, instead issuing a statement which says that sawmills signed
01:22 a deed of contract that stated their log supply would stop once they start receiving compensation
01:28 payments to transition out of the industry.
01:32 The government appear to be worried that they're running out of firewood and so they're now
01:35 prioritising firewood over other products.
01:38 They're not supplying sawmills and yet saw logs are being produced.
01:41 A new forest management plan due to commence in 2024 is currently being considered by the
01:48 EPA.
01:48 [BLANK_AUDIO]