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The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) says the state government and Hydro Tasmania are sending mixed messages about whether there is enough power for Boyer Mill’s proposed electrification project. Source: Pulse Tasmania AMWU State Organiser Jacob Batt has warned the confusion is putting hundreds of jobs and Tasmania’s industrial future at risk. Mr Batt said workers are “concerned and confused” after hearing conflicting claims that extra power is both available and not available for the mill’s plan to switch its boilers from coal to electricity. “It’s extremely difficult to understand, is there enough power, isn’t there enough power, when the government is saying one thing and Hydro Tasmania are saying another,” Batt said. The dispute centres on Boyer Mill’s plan to replace its coal-fired boilers with electric alternatives as part of its efforts to cut carbon emissions. The mill, which has operated for more than 80 years and directly employs over 300 people, needs extra power to make the transition stack up. Batt believes Hydro is failing to live up to its ministerial charter to provide affordable power, support jobs and help grow the state’s economy. He claimed the state-owned utility was “putting its nose at the Tasmanian government” and placing commercial interests ahead of local industry. “By Hydro Tasmania not offering Tasmanian prices of cheap energy for additional energy to Boyer Mill is in direct conflict with the ministerial charter,” he said. The union is calling for urgent action to resolve the pricing dispute and set a clear energy policy to attract major industrial investment to Tasmania. The AMWU says it will seek commitments from all parties before the state election to make sure Hydro follows its charter and backs Tasmanian industry with competitive power prices. Hydro Tasmania previously told Pulse that extra power is available and can be sourced for the mill and that discussions are ongoing.

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The Murray Region Forestry Hub has welcomed the release of the Australian Government’s Timber Fibre Strategy, commending it as a future-focused and science-backed plan that supports the sustainable growth of Australia’s forestry and fibre sector. Source: Timberbiz “Congratulations to the Government for delivering on its commitment to deliver this strategy, and to those who worked to bring this important strategy together – particularly members of the Partnership and the Department,” said Carlie Porteous, Hub Manager. The Strategy has been developed with strong collaboration across government, industry, and the workforce. It is supported by both employers and unions alike, reflecting a shared vision for a resilient and forward-thinking timber and fibre industry that continues to supply Australian builders and businesses with the wood products they need and use every day. The members of the Hub voice their strong support for the Strategy, particularly its focus on enabling the expansion of existing industries and encouraging long-term investment and innovation. “The Hub is ready to support any work that contributes to meeting the goals outlined in the Strategy,” Rab Green, Vice Chair SWG said. “We’re especially encouraged by its alignment with industry priorities and the recognition of the role regional forestry hubs can play in delivering practical, on-the-ground outcomes.” The Hub encourages the Government to commit to keeping the Strategy an active, living document – with regular check-ins, updates, and engagement mechanisms to avoid it becoming something that “sits on the shelf.” “This Strategy represents a real opportunity to shape the future of forestry in Australia. Let’s make sure it’s implemented with purpose and remains responsive to the challenges and opportunities ahead,” Mr Green said.

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Tasmania is fortunate to have large areas of ‘Wilderness’ where nature takes care of its own. These are globally recognised World Heritage Areas. Some 58.7% of Tasmania’s forests are in some form of formal or informal reserves. However, reserves are usually poorly managed for bio (and genetic) diversity, being at the mercy of wildfire or chance events. All eggs should not be placed in one basket (reservation). There is equal conservation value in creating large areas of actively managed forest with some control and planning over the frequency and intensity of disturbances that shape these forests, especially fire dependent forest communities. A diversity of forest stages of development across both space and time is also critical. Regrowth forests can become old growth! Currently, only around 20% of Tasmania’s public forests are available for production forestry. It is acknowledged that temperate rainforest communities require extensive periods without disturbance and are excluded from forest harvesting in Tasmania. Eucalypt forest lockup favours the later stages of the forest cycle, at the expense of earlier phases characterised by a greater proportion of smaller shrubs and herbaceous plants. Eucalypt forest lockup also encourages fuel build up resulting in the inevitable, intense, uncontrolled wildfire potentially burning out hundreds of thousands of hectares in a single fire season. For example, at the beginning of 2025 the West Coast fire burnt out some 94,000 ha including areas of National Park (Source TFS.), and the 2018- 2019 fires on the central plateau and western Tasmania burnt out some 205,000 ha, some 16% being fire sensitive communities. (Source PWS) In rural communities there is increased threat to life and property from wildfire. Green policy has failed to value regrowth forests. Talk is only of the value of ‘old growth’ or ‘ancient’ forests. However, today’s regrowth forests, allowed to mature, are tomorrow’s old growth, or ‘ancient’ forests. Remember, forest species are dynamic, many requiring fire or disturbance to complete their lifecycles. Diversity in forest age is an important component of biodiversity conservation that appears to have escaped the attention of many. Total forest lock-up policy is akin to us valuing only the elderly our community, with no value placed on our children (and producing them for the next generation!) or working adults (taxpayers!) – complete forest lockup policy makes no sense. Ending native forest harvesting and active native forest management amounts to ecological madness, has no scientific basis, and are driven by political aspiration and self-interest, with no regard to forest ecology, forest conservation or regional economies. David Bower is a graduate in biological sciences, a professional forester and carbon asset manager.

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