Industrial trouble at Maryvale mill in the news.

 

Opal Australian Paper has stood down dozens of workers as white paper production at its Maryvale Mill grinds to a halt

 

According to AAP, the company informed 35 of its workers in December that they were going to be stood down with full pay for an indefinite period of time.

 

The stand downs are effective from 1 January.

 

AAP reported that a further 120 workers are facing also being stood down later this month or early next month.

 

Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union assistant national secretary (printing) Lorraine Cassin said she was “outraged” at the job cuts as well as the late notice.

 

“It‘s unconscionable that Opal management have sacked 37 workers with only two days’ notice in the middle of the holiday season,” she told news.com.au.

 

The stand-downs had been looming for some time at the Maryvale-based paper mill, following a Supreme Court ruling and a timber shortage.

 

In early November, government-owned timber business VicForests lost a Supreme Court case which found it was not doing enough to protect endangered wildlife including two possum species.

 

As a result, the company was ordered to scale back its timber harvesting in parts of rural Victoria.

 

VicForests was a massive supplier for Opal Australian Paper and they have been unable to obtain the necessary materials since for paper to be created.

 

Opal Australian Paper ran out of materials to make white sheets of paper on 23 December.

 

It hasn’t resumed operations since and production remains on hold indefinitely.

 

VicForests has appealed the Supreme Court decision.

 

In a statement to news.com.au, Opal said: “To date we have been unable to identify viable alternative sources of wood and as a result, white paper production on the M5 machine at Maryvale was impacted from 23 December.

 

“This equipment stoppage has led to direct production workers engaged on M5 to be stood down on a temporary basis from the first of January 2023.

 

“This is a complex situation and no longer-term decisions on operational changes have been made at this stage.”

 

Temporary operating licence for Maryvale Mill

 

On 23 December, Opal Australian Paper issued a statement relating to a temporary operating licence via the Victorian Environmental Protection Authority.

 

The statement read (in part):

 

The lack of VicForests’ wood supply continues to create challenges for the Maryvale Mill and is expected to impact white paper production on or around 23 December.

 

Opal Australian Paper has proactively engaged with the EPA to advise of the impact the wood supply issue will have on the Mill’s white paper operations.

 

As a result of necessary changes to the Mill’s operating assets caused by the supply issue, we have applied to the EPA Victoria seeking temporary relief on certain elements of our operating licence for 120 days.

 

This temporary license application relates specifically to short term changes and no longer-term decisions on operational changes at the Mill have been made at this stage.

 

Application to the EPA Victoria

 

Opal Australian Paper takes its environmental obligations very seriously. Operation of the Mill assets in a modified configuration has potential for changes to certain air and surface water discharges and compliance with the associated EPA

 

Victoria operating licence conditions and limits (OL000046547).

 

As a result of the above, Opal has applied for an authorisation of an activity under section 157 of the Environment Protection Act 2017 (Vic), which is required to address the immediate measures we must take in response to the loss of wood supply from VicForests.

 

EPA Victoria has assessed and approved a temporary licence amendment along with strict conditions.