Huon Valley transport company T.P Bennett and Sons lost a contact that went interstate

Resources Minister Felix Ellis has asked Sustainable Timber Tasmania to review its decision to award a contract to a Victorian company as he makes an appeal to outspoken MP John Tucker.

Adam Watson with grandson Campbell 4 and sons Jacab (Jacab) and Bradan (Bradan). Watson Haulage based in the Huon Valley truck company and family with a history of forest workers have been stiffed by the government awarding a contract to a Victorian firm. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Tasmania’s Resources Minister has asked Sustainable Timber Tasmania to review its procurement policies after a Victorian company beat a local business to a major haulage contract.

As revealed by the Sunday Tasmanian, Huon Valley company T.P Bennett and Sons has lost a major southern timber haulage contract, raising fears of local job losses.

Given the contract was awarded to a Victorian company, Mr Ellis has asked Tasmania’s state-owned forestry company to pause all tenders and review the southern haulage contract.

“I have asked Sustainable Timber Tasmania to provide urgent advice on how the Tasmanian Government can best support our forestry industry in the wake of (Victorian Premier) Dan Andrews’ decision to slam the door shut on their native forest sector,” he said.

“Whilst I await this advice, STT will not release any further harvest and transport tenders.”

Mr Ellis said Victorian Labor government exit packages to timber businesses meant some companies were looking to move in to Tasmania.

“It’s also an opportunity to being more people in, but there’s a threat in terms of businesses because there is a clear market distortion, Daniel Andrews has given $825m at least of taxpayers’ money to subsidise people to go away and do something else. That is a clear threat to our industry here,” he said.

Labor MP Dean Winter speaks to the media on Parliament Lawns in Hobart on Monday, July 3, 2023.

Labor MP Dean Winter, who wrote to Mr Ellis to ask for a review of the southern haulage contract, said the minister had previously welcomed Victorian workers to Tasmania.

“When responding to a question about the shutdown of native forestry in Victoria in late May, Minister Ellis said ‘we are looking forward to bringing those people down here to bolster our capability and supply’,” Mr Winter said.

“Despite pretending to be blindsided, it looks like he’s actually been planning an assault on local forestry jobs for months.

“Minister Ellis needs to explain why the local benefits test was absent in the tender process that Bennett’s and its local subcontractors missed out on. Did he remove it as part of his plan he foreshadowed in late May?”

John Tucker Independent member for Lyons. Lara Alexander Independent member for Bass absent from question time. Question time in the Tasmanian parliament. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Former Liberal MP John Tucker joined Labor in criticising Mr Ellis, describing his handling of the situation as “inept”.

Mr Ellis responded with an appeal to Mr Tucker, saying they were “of one mind” when it came to supporting local timber jobs.

“We need to be united around this. Both John and I are big supporters of the industry and we are of one mind in that we want to make sure Tasmanian timber supports Tasmanian jobs,” he said.

“There is a significant threat from the left side of politics that have been caught up in this madness around shutting down one of the most sustainable industries there is.”

Environmentalist Bob Brown lashed Mr Ellis for describing Tasmanian native forestry as sustainable.

“Any school child looking at a picture of a napalm-fuelled post-logging burn will tell you that is total destruction and an environmental disaster. Claiming otherwise will also not pass the ACCC’s test for greenwash,” Dr Brown said.

“The end of native forest destruction in Tasmania will follow that on the mainland or the Rockliff government, including Ellis, are asking for the eyes of 26 million Australians to focus in on the environmental ruin of our forests and wildlife for however agonisingly long it takes. The lie of environmental sustainability will simply raise their opposition.”