Clarence Valley logging industry, supporters gather outside council chambers opposing ‘phase out’ plans

A northern NSW council has been taken to task over a proposal to phase out logging on native forest public land, with workers gathering to defend their industry. Watch what went down.

Calls to phase out native forest logging on public land have been met with fierce opposition by “irate” Clarence workers.

The contentious issue was first raised in front of a packed public gallery at a Clarence Valley Council meeting in June.

It was discussed at Biodiversity Advisory Committee meetings and an officer then made a recommendation for the industry to move on to “an ecologically sustainable plantation base”.

Some community members stressed the need for an immediate logging ban, while others made their opposition loud and clear.

Similar resolutions have already been adopted by Bellingen, Mid Coast and Eurobodalla councils. The Clarence push comes as protests about logging are raging across northern NSW.

Rod Henson, the director of Henson Sawmilling at Mountain View, just outside of Grafton, previously said loggers were “irate”.

“The timber industry in the Clarence Valley has been happening for generation after generation so why stop us,” he said.

Rod Henson.

On Monday, the issue was brought to the fore in front of Grafton council chambers.

Dozens of loggers, CFMEU (Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining And Energy Union) members and industry supporters met with Mayor Ian Tiley.

Led by Marshall Notaras Hardwood general manager Donna Layton, the vice president of Timber NSW, the group handed over piles of physical submissions, stating they had already received 2242 rejecting the proposal.

The CFMEU supplied this publication with a copy of a submission the union sent to the council.

“We represent thousands of timber workers across Australia, the families and the communities that rely on timber jobs, some of those in the Clarence Valley,” NSW District Secretary of the CFMEU manufacturing division Alison Rudman wrote.

“Our members work in a range of jobs in the timber industry, from harvesting to transport to processing timber to turning the timber into building supplies or products for your homes.”

Some of the crowd gathered outside Grafton chambers.

The letter raises numerous issues with the proposal to phase out logging.

It questions the committee, alleges council was improperly using resources and urges councillors not to “fall for myths” about the environmental impacts of native timber logging.

At the gathering, Ms Layton said she started collecting the submissions a few weeks after the June council meeting.

“I’m pleasantly surprised (at the support we’ve received) because it’s very hard to get everyone activated,” she said.

“(But when council) don’t consult with anybody, especially the industry they’re bagging or they’re going to close down, you have to discuss and they were all one-sided — they didn’t want to listen”.

Mick Harrington, a third-generator logger and finalist in The Voice Australia 2021 drove up from East Gippsland to lend his support.

Mick Harrington, pictured performing on TV show The Voice in 2021, has backed the loggers.

He said it was important to attend because of “the damage that green ideology has on Victoria”.

“A ban on timber and the timber industry — it kills country towns, it’s as simple as that,” he said.

“It’s like someone has transplanted Daniel Andrews Victorian ideology into the Clarence Valley Council and it’s disgusting. We have to stop it.”

Politicians also turned out to voice their support, including Clarence Nationals MP Richie Williamson and councillor Allison Whaites.

Speaking to the crowd, Cr Tiley said he did not need to be convinced about the timber industry’s value.

Donna Layton (centre in blue) handing over the submissions to Mayor Ian Tiley (far right).

“(After hearing the call to phase out logging) council absolutely rightly so said ‘hey, hold the bus, let’s go out and properly consult first’,” he said.

Pointing to boxes of submissions, Cr Tiley said: “This is a magnificent result of that consultation.”

“Council will consider all these submissions … and we’ll take it from there,” he said.

In June, councillor Debrah Novak moved a council resolution to delay debate until October.

All councillors except for councillor Karen Toms voted in support.

Supporters of the Clarence logging industry have promised they will be showing up “in the hundreds” when the issue is next debated.

Originally published as Clarence Valley logging industry, supporters gather outside council chambers opposing ‘phase out’ plans