Tasmanian Boat building timber availability

[b.o.a.t.]

I see the greenies are targetting Harvey Norman now , because he sells (gasp , shudder) furniture that may contain old growth timber !.
So , if these idiots can stop HN from selling furniture that might contain old growth timber , what next ?.
Rob J.

Poor old Gerry can't take a trick this last week or two.
One mob are at him because he ***might*** be selling furniture made from old-growth timber.
Another mob are at him because he sells furniture made from foreign plantation timber instead of local.

I just hope the foreign trees were stunned before felling...
AJ

[dopeydriver]

I have to say , its the politics that worries me.
These rabid greenies seem to have been given free rein by Bob Brown to screw just about everything , without concern for the consequences.
And the Labor party is letting them ! ,
How long can this continue ?.
Regards Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

One thing that did concern me , is that the furniture is being made in China.
But thats no different I guess than shipping off iron ore and coal to China , and then buying tractors , steel , cars etc etc back off them.
The government focus should be on value adding here , Aussie raw materials , Aussie workers producing quality Aussie goods.
Rather than paying out the dole , retraining (thats a laugh) blah blah , just make the Aussie produced goods competitive in price with the Chinese imports.
And if our elected Parliament can't work out how to do that , well what hope have we got ?.
Regards Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

I'm wondering now , what are the costs of employing people ?.
What are the costs that could be borne by Government , for an Aussie business competing against cheap overseas labour ?.
So that wage costs are reduced .
Rob J.

[johnnyroberts]

Just stuck this on The Hon Collbeck web site.

"Hi Richard, my name is Ian Lehman, you may remember me from the days when Reece and Kerrick played for the mini blues. I would like to draw your attention to a debate on the wooden boat section of the australian wood workers forum re what is happening to the forest in Tassy. Tasmanian Boat building timber availability - Page 4 - Woodwork Forums
This forum is viewed by boat builders all over the world and currently the are reading about the appaling situation in Tasmania. I beg you Richard not to let the legacy of the famous tassy boat builder go down the tube.
Regards Ian Lehman"

Interesting to see if I get a reply
PS Pitty i cant spelll

Good on you Ian for standing up, unfortunately it's a none fact that Politicians do not ready any electronic form of correspondance, their staff will just delete it. A hand written letter will get read and should get a reply.
The Libs have had plenty of time to give us an alternative solution to the forestry/timber industry crisis yet they have got nothing, nothing at all, they just don't get it, thats half the problem, no real alternative in opposition, if we did, they would be calling the shots both state and federal.
p.s. can't spell either
regards John

[dopeydriver]

Hmm , I thought there was a response from the Leader of the Opposition in Tasmania , and a couple more from his staff , and 2 personal replies from the Hon. Collbeck.
So they are well aware of this issue , and have responded here.
What is needed is positive responses from the people in power.We need to see some Common Sense.
I've just watched "The Gourmet Farmer". Its a bit of a chuckle , for someone who has farmed all his life , and worked with animals , but it does showcase just what you have there in Tassie , its a special part of the world.
It would be terrible to see it all ploughed up , depopulated , and turned in to tree monocrop , as has happened to a lot of the SW of Victoria.
I'm hoping that common sense will prevail , and Tasmania can grow it own iconic sustainable industries , and people can have real , productive jobs.
Regards Rob J.

[johnnyroberts]

Hmm , I thought there was a response from the Leader of the Opposition in Tasmania , and a couple more from his staff , and 2 personal replies from the Hon. Collbeck.
So they are well aware of this issue , and have responded here.
What is needed is positive responses from the people in power.We need to see some Common Sense.
I've just watched "The Gourmet Farmer". Its a bit of a chuckle , for someone who has farmed all his life , and worked with animals , but it does showcase just what you have there in Tassie , its a special part of the world.
It would be terrible to see it all ploughed up , depopulated , and turned in to tree monocrop , as has happened to a lot of the SW of Victoria.
I'm hoping that common sense will prevail , and Tasmania can grow it own iconic sustainable industries , and people can have real , productive jobs.
Regards Rob J.

sorry must of missed it. I agree, I'd hate too see the state turn into one big mono crop.
If we are to have plantations, I would like too see one's that would be worth something, these nitens are good for chip only. Imagine if Forestry Tasmania had some vision years ago and planted blackwood, oregon, king billy pine etc. Woodchips is what has killed this industry,that started in the early 70s supported by both major parties, they have no one to blame but themselves. Many sawmills closed then as they lost their log supply.
regards John

[dopeydriver]

What we have to do is learn from the mistakes of the past , and think of now , and the future.
And we have all agreed I think , that planting out and managing plantations of timbers in demand for high value value added industries makes a lot of sense.
But the danger is then having them locked up as "old growth forest" !!!.
I have every confidence that "Common Sense" can prevail over the extremism , but its certainly not happening at the moment !.
Regards Rob J.

[wavedancer]

Rob you have an uncanny knack of remiding me of my mistakes. Back in the 80,s I bought 25 acres at Castra (back of Ulvertone) 50/50 pasture and regrowth. It bordered onto the 3000 acre Nieta forest and back then people would say "you have just bought 3025 acres. I had approval to plant it all out 50/50 "nitens" and blackwood. I can't remember the exact reason why the subsidys went pear shape but I never planted.
These days if you buy land beside a state forest or national park in tassy you are just making a donation to the mongrel green government.
Still can't spilll
Ian L

[dopeydriver]

Yes , we had similar experiences too Ian.
But the Bushfire Royal Commission , and a change of Government have changed things here , for the better (so far).
But a funny story.
A bloke had planted out quite a few trees on his property along a boundary , as a wind break for his stock really , but also to coppice , for firewood .
A new "tree change" neighbour complained to the council when he started to coppice , and the greenie shire forbade him to "chop down any more trees".
Early one Sunday morning , several chainsaws were heard to start , and got in to dropping the rest of the trees .
Monday morning , the shire bloke comes out huffing and puffing , but the farmer was able to show how the trees that had been coppiced earlier were already regrowing.
Give them time , and they would do what they were planted for (give animal shelter) , and firewood.
Wisely , the council decided against a prosecution.
Regards Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

I got this today.
Check out the bottom bit !.

"Hi Robert

Senator Colebeck has just issued the attached release and I thought it may be of interest to you.

You may also be interested to know that Will and many of the Liberal team attended the rallies in Hobart and Smithton in support of the industry on the weekend.

Regards,

Ella Woods-Joyce, Adviser
Leader of the Opposition, Hon Will Hodgman MP
T 03 6233 8715|F 03 6233 2779|M 0418 338 774
Parliament House|Hobart| "

SENATOR THE HON RICHARD COLBECK

Senator for Tasmania

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries and Forestry
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation, Industry and Science


M E D I A R E L E A S E


25 August 2011

Forest deal sinks Tasmanian wooden boat building

The future of Tasmania’s valuable wooden boat building industry is directly threatened by the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) on future use of Tasmania’s forests.

“Locking up the remaining sources of timber used by Tasmania’s wooden boat builders will destroy what is currently a very valuable, viable and iconic industry,” Coalition Forestry Spokesman Senator Richard Colbeck said.

“Details of the sham agreement are spreading far and wide and I am now being contacted by boat builders who fear Tasmania’s wooden boat building industry will be ruined.

“Discussion on the impending disaster for the sector has global reach through industry blogs.

“Despite the fact that 90 per cent of two key iconic species, Celery Top Pine and King Bill Pine, are already in reserves the Greens are still not satisfied.

“More than 70 per cent of remaining sources of these timbers are in the 430,000 hectares rubber stamped by former Wilderness Society director Jonathan West in his flimsy advice accepted by the Prime Minister and the Premier last week.

“And 94 per cent of remaining sources are in the 572,000 hectares that the environment groups claim as High Conservation Value.

“The wooden boat industry has an estimated annual value of $50 million but without a timber supply it has no future.

“Destroying Tasmania’s wooden boat building industry also undermines the legitimacy of hosting the highly successful Australian Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart, which is one of the largest festivals of its type in the world.

“This festival began in 1994 and attracted 100,000 people last year. Given building these boats can take up to 12 months, providing significant employment opportunities for master craftsmen, the significance of the economic contribution of wooden boats is clear.

“What will it mean for this internationally-recognised event if Tasmania’s iconic wooden boat building industry is destroyed?

“The Greens tell us tourism is the future for Tasmania but its own greedy and clumsy policy seeks to lock the tourism industry out of areas currently open and it also threatens to impact major tourist events like the Wooden Boat Festival.

Tasmanian woodwork blog:
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f34/tasmanian-boat-building-timber-availability-139466/
<<250811 Forest deal sinks Tasmanian wooden boat building.pdf>>
ENDS_

Laura Richardson
Electorate Officer

Office of Senator Richard Colbeck
Senator for Tasmania | Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries & Forestry
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation, Industry and Science
5-7 Best Street, Devonport 7310 - Tasmania
( 03 6424 5960 | 6 03 6423 5244 |

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[dopeydriver]

ABC © Enlarge photo






Visits to Hobart by the Prime Minister and the leader of the Opposition have focussed on the state's forestry peace deal.
While Julia Gillard is formalising arrangements for the deal, Tony Abbott is claiming she is letting the industry down.
The Prime Minister spent the day in several locations but is also signed a memorandum of understanding with the State Government for $120 million in regional development funding for the deal.
She has urged Tasmanian Upper House members to be mindful of the state's future economy when considering legislation to deliver the forest agreement.
"We have been here building on the process that brought the warring parties in forestry together, building on it for the future of this state."
"That's what's at stake and that's what should be on the minds of state Upper House members," she said.
Tony Abbott has condemned the move saying the money will be used to close down a productive industry.
"The problem with all this money is that it's basically about closing down the forest industry, It's basically about getting people out of forestry work," he said.
"I think forestry is an important industry, very important to Tasmania. I want to see it continue."
It is an issue that is likely to be on the agenda when he attends the Liberal state conference tomorrow.
Tony Abbott visited the last Australian manufacturer of wetsuits in Hobart's northern suburbs.
He is concerned about the effects the carbon tax will have on the running of the business.
Regards Rob J.

[Horus28]

I am sorry for your plight concerning timber supplies. A recent book "The Greens" outlined the aim of the Greens regarding forestry.
1. End all logging in public and private native forest except for one minor exception.
2. Close virtually all timber exports.
3. Restrict timber production to existing plantations and "farm scale" plantation forestry.
This was written by Jim Hogget. He also pointed out that these protected forests are unmanaged forests so they are forests with fuel loads building up year on year just waiting for that spark. Inevitably your forests will disappear in a fire storm as they have on the mainland.

I was at the convoy of no confidence in Canberra this week. Large numbers of ordinary country folk had come from all over Australia, some drove 4000 km, they are angry and worried. The control that interferes with their business is amazing. You can be in the middle of the Northern Territory and need permission to cut down a tree or build a dam. You also get taxed on the rain.

So it is not just the wood the Green disease spreads everywhere.

[dopeydriver]

Horus , Tasmania has had its own horrific bushfires over the years . 1967 Tasmanian fires - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia .
I had just started work in an insurance company with many Tasmanian clients when this fire started .
We had to work overtime sending out letters to people who were a day or 2 behind with their payments etc , advising them that their insurance had lapsed.
I quit !.
But you are right , forests require management .
Management means a local population , not the least to provide a fire fighting service.
Its just common sense , really.
Regards Rob J.

[Montgomery]

Bernt on 14 August makes some interesting comments about pricing specialty timbers and the economics of extracting it. The Tasmanian Forests Intergovernmental Agreement guarantees 12,500 cubic metres of specialty timber, so let's hope the boat building industry can negotiate to get what it needs on a sustainable basis. Can't see how ranting against the greens helps as they are hugely outnumbered in Parliament. Better if the boat builders can engage contructively with those who hold the power and some commonsense might prevail. As Bernt suggests, a lot of the issue comes down to the economics, considering the relatively small quantities needed. Came across an interesting website called Timber Workers for Forests which shows people were concerned as far back as 2001 about the way specialty timbers were being managed, epecially wastage during clearfelling. Haven't read all the articles on the website yet, but those I have make interesting reading. You can find it here http:///www.twff.com.au