Victoria’s state-owned logging business is on the verge of being dismantled and absorbed into other areas of the bureaucracy after the state government reclassified it and announced a review of its operations.
On Wednesday, the government altered VicForests’ status as a state business corporation and made it a “reorganising body”, which allows its functions and staff to be moved around. “VicForests will keep operating as is until a formal decision about the future of the entity has been made,” the letter said.“DEECA is currently working with VicForests to review its functions and activities, including consideration of how the critical skills of VicForests staff can be maximised.
When announcing the earlier-than-expected closure date in May, the Andrews government said timber workers would be supported to find new jobs and that their skills would be needed in areas such as forest management and bushfire-risk reduction.