Committee for Gippsland has joined the campaign for government departments to use paper sourced from Australian Paper’s Maryvale mill.
The group has written a joint letter with Latrobe City Council and Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union Maryvale sub-branch to Premier Daniel Andrews urging the State Government to mandate the purchase of Australian Paper’s products.
C4G chief executive Mary Aldred, Latrobe City mayor Dale Harriman and CFMEU Maryvale secretary Anthony Pavey have also written to all Victorian Parliament MPs urging them to use Latrobe Valley-made copy paper in their electorate offices.
Ms Aldred said the ‘buy local’ factor would provide a huge boost to the Latrobe Valley’s paper industry.
“In a recent study conducted by Committee for Gippsland it was found that for every $100 spent on a local business, $97 out of that stayed in the region, so if we can get every Victorian Member of Parliament and every government department to purchase Australian paper, the economic impact for Gippsland will be enormous,” Ms Aldred said.
“The Australian Paper mill at Maryvale is a major employer in the Latrobe Valley and we should be throwing our full support behind a locally made product and the local jobs.”
According to C4G there has already been support from MPs from different parties, including Member for Morwell Russell Northe.
Mr Northe recently used parliament to question the government’s use of Australian-made and recycled paper.
Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing yesterday said she was encouraging parliamentary colleagues at state and federal levels to secure Australian Paper’s position in Gippsland.
“I am a vocal supporter of initiatives that encourage investment, productivity and jobs for Gippsland industry,” Ms Shing said.
“An increasingly competitive global market and downward pressure on paper prices has made it even more important to support our local pulp and paper producer.”
A Gippsland delegation will be visiting the Victorian Parliament in December to meet with MPs and discuss Australian Paper’s economic value to Gippsland and Victoria.
