DR JOE GOES INTO BAT FOR FORESTRY INDUSTRY

The Independent Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr, continues to support the forestry sector, backing a plan by the Softwoods Working Group (SWG) for a range of investments designed to ensure the industry continues to flourish. 

Dr McGirr has written to the ministers for Natural Resources and Regional Transport to express support for the SWG's roadmap outlining five priority areas for the South West Slopes. 

The letters are the latest step in Dr McGirr's ongoing advocacy to the government to provide the support and infrastructure that the industry needs to thrive.  

The centrepiece of the SWG plan calls for an investment of $18m into upgrading crucial forestry roads and bridges. 

"That's a reasonable investment when you consider there are 25,000 hectares of sustainably managed pine plantations, supporting more than 5,500 jobs and injecting almost $2.3 billion into the regional economy every year," Dr McGirr said. 

"These numbers illustrate the massive importance of the industry to our region and demonstrate why the SWG's relatively modest requests are essential to our social and economic future." 

Dr McGirr has also supported the SWG's calls for funding to enable smaller councils to ensure infrastructure works can be made shovel-ready, and to establish a Strategic Plantation Economic Zone for the region. 

He has previously driven advocacy for the proposed roadworks funding in repeated representations to the government, with a focus on improvements to Batlow Road, Bombowlee Creek Road and the Wagga-Tumbarumba Road. 

Widening the Blue Cut, Jackson's and Glenroy bridges has also been identified as a major priority to reduce risks and improve transport efficiency. 

Dr McGirr said it was encouraging to note that the government's draft Strategic Integrated Regional Transport Plan (SRITP) has acknowledged the Blue Cut Bridge – which carries at least 500,000 tonnes of logs per year – is too narrow, with steep and winding approaches. 

"The inclusion of the bridge in the SRIPT provides an important framework to advocate for improvements not only to the bridge itself but also to the entire transport infrastructure that supports our softwoods supply chain," he said. 

"The SWG's plan is aimed largely at new governments following the election next March, but I think it's important to continually remind the current government of the need for this investment and I look forward to further advancing the case in parliamentary sittings later this year."