Timber workers lose jobs

TIMBER workers in Mt Gambier face an uncertain future, with 90 to lose jobs - nearly a third of the industry's workforce in the South East.

On Monday, Carter Holt Harvey told staff at its three sawmills in Mount Gambier and western Victoria it would cut 150 jobs with the Mt Gambier mill on the Jubilee Highway, with a workforce of 300, facing the biggest cut. ......

Cheap imports and a building industry slowdown have contributed to a fall of about 15 per cent in timber prices in the past 18 months.........

South Australian state Local MP and Minister for Forests Rory McEwen said he was concerned about job losses but employment in the region was buoyant overall. "With the downturn in the housing industry, this is not unexpected," he said. "It's important to ensure that anyone losing a job is assisted in finding another one as soon as possible.

"With blue gums coming on stream, we are expecting an increased demand for labour," he said.

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