Groups are divided over the Victorian government's plan to phase out native logging next year, with a $200 million package to support timber workers and transition the industry announced in Tuesday's state budget.
STATE GOVERNMENT
* It’s not good enough for us to just cross our fingers and hope for the best, we need a plan to support workers, their families and support local jobs. - Premier Daniel Andrews
* We absolutely do not take this lightly, but the uncertainty cannot continue. - Agriculture Minister Gayle Tierney
* We will support workers, their families and their businesses as we navigate through this earlier exit from the industry and help people and communities to plan for the future. - Minister for Regional Development Harriet Shing
THE NATIONALS
* This decision will kill our timber industry and cause untold damage to our regional communities. - state opposition agriculture spokeswoman Emma Kealy
* The Andrews Labor government has kicked every hard working native timber industry family in the guts today. - federal Nationals MP Darren Chester
GREENS
* This is a win for all the environment groups, local community members and Greens who have fought to protect our native forests from logging and against a Labor government who have been dragged kicking and screaming to this position. - Victorian Greens deputy leader Elen Sandell
* If the Albanese government is serious about fighting climate change and protecting our environment, it must now follow the lead of Victoria, and other state governments, and stop all native forest logging. - federal Greens forests spokeswoman Janet Rice
UNIONS
* To make a decision without any consultation you maximise the chances that the impact on people is going to be worse - CFMEU Manufacturing Division national secretary Michael O'Connor
LOGGING GROUPS
* Native forestry in Victoria has been subject to extensive regulations and international certification by PEFC / Responsible Wood. Despite our relentless efforts to oppose this decision, unfortunately, rationality did not prevail. - Victorian Forest Products Association chief executive Deb Kerr
* The decision today by the government of Victoria to accelerate the cessation of selective and sustainable native forest harvesting is an unnecessary surrender to environmental activists. - Australian Forest Products Association chief executive Joel Fitzgibbon
* Australia has a moral obligation to reduce its growing trade deficit in timber products by finding pathways forward to meet more of our own domestic demand locally. - Forestry Australia president Michelle Freeman
ACADEMICS
* This decision means Victoria and Australia have a far greater chance of meeting their emissions reductions targets. - Australian National University forestry ecology professor David Lindenmayer
* Restoring forests will boost their carbon storage value and provide a large number of jobs for regional Victorians. - Australian National University forest ecologist Chris Taylor
* We can’t just walk away from these forests now that logging is ending, they need to be actively managed to heal damage, reduce pressures from pest plants, animals, and damaging wildfire regimes and to maximise opportunities for communities and First Nations land managers. - University of Melbourne biodiversity professor Brendan Wintle
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS
* This decision shows people power at work. - Australian Conservation Foundation campaigner Jess Abrahams
* There is still a lot of work to be done to ensure these forests are permanently protected from all kinds of destructive practices - not just conventional logging. - Victorian Forest Alliance campaign co-ordinator Chris Schuringa
* Victoria's native forests must be managed for the benefit of the community, and not for the interests of multinational paper and packaging companies. - Wilderness Society national campaigns director Amelia Young
* The news that the end of native forest logging in our state is to be brought forward is critical for the current and future health of our natural world, and the security of workers and community. - Victorian National Parks Association Matt Ruchel
