Forest contractor assistance package now available

by Mike Farrow, Acting General Manager Operations

The Contractor Assistance package announced last week by Minister for Energy and Resourced Bryan Green is now operational.

The $3.6 million package is designed to keep forest contractors working during the current industry downturn, by ensuring a supply of sawlogs is maintained while the pulpwood market improves.

In part, the package will provide financial assistance for contractors to harvest and transport wood from more remote areas, which have a higher proportion of sawlogs and veneer logs suitable for processing by Tasmanian sawmillers.

The package is expected to deliver an additional 25,000 cubic metres of sawlogs and veneer logs to Tasmanian processors, and generate a return of $20 million.