AUSTRALIA: Loggers target MP's office
© 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
November 8, 2001
More than 100 East Gippsland forest workers have blockaded the Sale offices of the Federal Member for Gippsland, Peter McGauran.
A convoy of timber trucks brought traffic on the Princes Highway to a standstill this morning.
At least 200 jobs are under threat, following the collapse of the overseas woodchip trade to Indonesia.
Forest contractors are also facing the prospect of swindling resources.
They're calling on the Federal Government to provide exit packages for displaced workers.
Jane Calvert from the C-F-M-E-U says workers want action from the Federal Government to stop job losses.
"This is an indefinite stop until people get some relief and all it indicates, it doesn't indicate any necessary militant attitude down here, it indicates that people's backs are to the wall and they have no other choice than to get some attention paid to it," she said.
The protestors say they'll stay put until they get an answer from the Federal Member for Gippsland, Peter McGauran.
Mr McGauran says the onus is on the State Government to fix the situation, as the Commonwealth is already pouring millions into the industry.
He says little can be done about the shrinking world market for woodchips.
The decrease in international demand for woodchips has obviously had a hard effect on a number of industry players, but the essential problem that Government can fix is in regard to resources," he said.
"The State Government can provide the resource.
"If they have to go into special reserve areas which were very questionable and overgenerous in my view in the first place, then they should do so."