Ms BATH (Eastern Victoria) (17:58): (1755) My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Agriculture in the other place, and it relates to a substantial amount of windrow native timber that has fallen both in the Wombat State Forest and also in the Silvan state forest area. Wood flow is at an absolute pinch in this state at the moment. Through green lawfare and the accord injunctions, this government has allowed the trickle of wood to end up being a trickle. Our mills are having to stand down staff, and the volume that we need in this state is just not there.
Now, this mixed species, very good quality windrow, was knocked down last year during the storms we had—and floods in various places, but the storms took those timbers down. At the moment they are lying on the ground still in good quality. They are going to add to the fuel load if they are not removed, but they are a good source of hardwood timber. Speaking with contractors, I understand that a number of crews could go into those two locations,Wombat and Silvan, and actually get on the tools, get harvesting and get processing that windrow timber to be utilised in our mills and at least keep that flow going. The action I seek from the minister is to release the timber that is in theWombat State Forest and Silvan and designate it to allow those crews to get on and get our wood flow going.
