Bushfire risk will worsen with Labor’s native timber ban

Daniel Andrews’ senseless decision to ban Victoria’s sustainable native timber industry will cut thousands of jobs and lessen our state’s ability to fight bushfires, says Leader of the Nationals Peter Walsh.

Timber contractors play a vital role in helping emergency services fight bushfire in steep and difficult terrain, voluntarily stopping work to clear access for fire trucks, to build fire breaks and to help suppress fires.

But generations of unique knowledge of Victoria’s high country landscape and access to heavy machinery will be lost if Daniel Andrews doesn’t reverse his native timber ban.

Not only that, Labor’s shutdown of our sustainable native timber industry will increase the fuel load in Victoria’s forest regions, leaving regional communities more exposed to the catastrophic impact of bushfires.

The Andrews Government’s gutless response today is to suggest timber workers should transition into forest fire management.

People in Victoria’s sustainable, responsible timber industry and the small communities that rely on it to survive don’t want Daniel Andrews’ charity or to be forced out of their jobs.

The Liberal Nationals will fight shoulder to shoulder with Victoria’s timber communities against Daniel Andrews’ destructive and ideologically-driven ban.

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