Uncertain future for local white paper production.

 

White paper is no longer being made in Australia following Opal Australian Paper’s suspension of production at its Maryvale mill in Victoria.

 

In a statement released last Thursday (read full statement in separate article), Opal said it was “seriously considering” the potential future closure of white side operations at the Maryvale Mill. 

 

Workers at the mill recorded the last ream of Reflex coming off the line with a selfie that was distributed to local media.

 

White paper production at the Maryvale mill was impacted in late December due to timber shortages after state-owned supplier VicForests was ordered to scale back harvesting in parts of Victoria.

 

The Victorian Supreme Court found VicForests failed to adequately survey logging coupes for two protected possum species.

 

VicForests is appealing against the decision, with a hearing in the Court of Appeal on March 23.

 

Line operator Trevor Patton was working at the mill on Saturday morning when the final ream for the foreseeable came off the lines.

 

"It was very surreal — for us guys that have been there for anywhere between 10 to 20 years, it was a bit strange to see that last ream," he told the ABC.

 

"We took a photo and we were smiling in the photo … but that wasn't the way we were feeling at the time,” he said.

 

The mill previously produced up to 200,000 tonnes of white paper per year. 

 

Opal Australia said workers who are stood down will receive full pay until the middle of February, following an agreement with the Victorian government.

 

There is some hope an alternative supply of timber could be found in the long-term following discussions with the Victorian and federal governments.

 

Ben Kearney,  CEO of the Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association said it was worrying timing, with returning to school costs adding more stress to families struggling with the cost of living.

 

"Copy paper will be at least 50 per cent more expensive in the short term, and broader than that, we're concerned that supply is going to be very, very tricky, to even get copy paper in the medium term," he said.

 

Kearney asked for the federal government to ease import duties to help keep prices down and maintain supply.

 

CFMEU calls for paper audit

 

Meantime, the CFMEU is calling for an audit on the amount of white paper available in the country.

 

The manufacturing union flagged a potential shortfall in paper products including doctor scripts, exercise books and government services documentation.

 

"We don't have a sense of how much white paper is actually available in the country at this point in time," secretary of the Pulp and Paper Workers District, Denise Campbell-Burns, told AAP.

 

Campbell-Burns said removing tariffs would do nothing for sovereign capability.

 

“To not make any white paper products in our country anymore, it's a real risk," she said.

 

PHOTO: Trevor Patton (left) and colleagues from the Maryvale paper mill with the last ream of Reflex – for the time being.