Ovens Murray MP Tim McCurdy is hosting a public meeting in Myrtleford to discuss the affect the Carter Holt Harvey mill closure is having on the town for updates refresh.
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8pm
Tim McCurdy closed the evening and said the packed room was full of emotion.
“We’re all entitled to think for themselves, but I ask you to consider each other as you go through your days,” he said.
“It’s about how we handle ourselves in the next few days.”
7.53pm
Questions were raised why Carter Holt Harvey did not have a representative present at the meeting.
Mr McCurdy said it was a community meeting for the town.
“We can go to the vote as well or we can go divided and come back here next week with more questions,” he said.
“Everyone is being affected whether you get a vote or not.”
7.44pm
CFMEU National President of forestry Jane Calvert said she went to school in Myrtleford and knows the town – as do the workers.
She said workers voted to lift the threat of industrial action.
“The employers lock out was in response to the industrial actions and that’s gone,” she said.
Ms Calvert said she received no response from the company about the industrial action lift and workers’ attempts to go back to work.
She said the vote was a separate matter to the gates being locked and workers not being allowed to work.
“That’s the issue here, not how people vote, that’s not our business,” she said.
7.42pm
Mill worker Steve Masin said he will vote yes on the agreement and encourages others to take the opportunity to make a decision and resolve the dispute.
“It will be difficult no doubt about that,” he said
“The feeling in the room tonight is that the community is worth fighting for and we have an opportunity – so please consider your vote.”
7.38pm
Non union Carter Holt Harvey worker Enzo D’Andrea said the agreement was fair and in line with other mill agreement.
He said the two Tumut site agreements were started and finished during the Myrtleford situation.
“This mill is not a cash cow, he [the CEO] is only keeping his head above water,” he said.
“After ten weeks this situation is what it is.
“To all my mates and fellow employees lets move on and please vote yes.”
7.28pm
Apline council mayor Ron Janas said it’s unusual for council to be involved in industrial disputes but the community had requested they do.
He said he’s been in the community for 28 years.
“I feel the social and economic fabric of our community in Myrtleford has been damaged,” he said.
“On a positive note – we have to think positively – it is repairable with the good will of this resilient community.
“We’ve been through floods, fires and tornadoes and we always bounce back.”
Mr Janas said community leaders are hearing what’s going on in Myrtleford and want to help, but it was up to the community to ask for help.
He said the shire had taken preemptive measures to help the community’s emotional well-being.
“I can say when situations occur relationships break down between families, between husband and wife, between parents and children, and it takes a long time to repair but it is repairable.
“I want to acknowledged those who have ensured that those in need – that no one in this community that we know of has gone without basic food and care.
Mr Janas said he had spoken to the CEO of Carter Holt Harvey
“He told me quite clearly if the vote on Friday is a yes vote the gates will be removed and people will go back to work,” he said.
“He told me that the mill is not a profitable business.
“It’s not a financially great business to have, but he did say it was viable and they would like to keep it going.
“However if the situation drags on for a long time, like any business owner you need to do your own maths.
“There’s a great possibility they will reinsert the gates.
“There are decision to be made, it’s not my job to tell people what to do or how to vote.
“We need to take something positive out of here tonight.
“We are a resilient community.
“We care for each other, we look after one another – that’s how we prosper.”
7.25pm
Lions Club’s Tim Cosser said he came to Myrtleford 17 years ago and loved workers’ attitudes.
“That’s what the town was built on – work and that’s what we need to get back to,” he said.
“It’s divided the town, 12 months ago we were all in it together.
“This has blown it all out of the water, who is wrong, who is right – it doesn’t matter. It needs to be fixed.
“We’re not like Bright or Beechworth we built this town on workers working.”
Mr Cosser said somehow the situation must be fixed.
“One way or the other, so we can all be mates again and so we can all enjoy this place again,” he said.
7.19pm
Chamber of Commerce’s Frank Ivone said ten years ago hope was lost, but today the town is vibrant again.
“The town has seen pretty adverse situations in the past, real bad situations,” he said.
“Some businesses are muchly affected, some aren’t.
“Needless to say this situation, the situation that has arisen and continues can only end in despair – not despair of the town, not so much the despair of businesses.
“It’s the morale of the people, that’s what’s affected.
“Six months down the track some people will see psychiatrists
“You think you’re okay now but eventually it will affect people.”
Mr Ivone said business in town had stagnated.
“Employees are at a low in the town,” he said.
“Businesses are slowly starting to wean off staff.
“Don’t bite the hand that feeds you but right now it’s being cut off – we need the mill, businesses need the mill.”
Mr Ivone said businesses would lose logging customers and families would move on.
“Just because we’re a business, a chamber of commerce, doesn’t mean we’re impervious to hurt – when businesses hurt one closes another closes the pressure is on to keep it viable,” he said.
“I’m here to look after our businesses.”
7.17pm
Matt Quinn of Myrtleford Bakery said businesses were doing it rough.
“I hope we all get together to resolves this in my opinion it’s gone on to long,” he said
“Businesses are hurting – residents are hurting.
“I just hope honestly common sense prevails, we all get back to it and get back to work.
“Everyone has different views on what’s going on because it affects everyone differently.
Mr Quinn said they had been forced to cut casuals and it was heartbreaking.
”It’s a sombre feeling in town, it’s hurting everyone I hope we can get together and support each other and resolve it.”
7.11pm
Carly Montgomery, the wife of a mill worker, said she realised early on families would be struggling through the lock out.
“About eight weeks ago we were in the same situation as everyone, not realising we’d still be here in ten weeks,” she said.
“As a small community does, gets together and rallies behind, we cooked up some meals.
“We cooked up meals for eight families.
“To our surprise we received a trailer of food from guys in Albury and it just kept going.
“Our group of eight families turned into 15 to 20.
“We’re very lucky to have received many donations.
“We’ve been gathering these donations and putting together food parcels and hampers, these families have been coming to my garage and it’s become very overwhelming to hear some of these stories of families who come to collect food.
“The first thing they say to us is I’m sure there’s someone who needs it more.”
Ms Montgomery said they had raised close to $30,000 in cash, food and vouchers.
“A little country town getting behind a few people who are hard done by,” she said.
“I’m sure not everyone thought they’d been at a point in their life where they’d be coming to a garage to collect food from someone they don’t know.”
7pm
Mr McCurdy said tonight was about listening and about the community divide.
“I want you to listen to what other people to say,” he said.
“It’s not about me or you it’s about all of us here and how we can move forward.
“It’s certainly dragged on a lot more than most of us thought.
“Anyone who has come to pick a fight, you’ve picked the wrong venue for that.”
The meeting comes as union workers were denied entry to Carter Holt Harvey’s Myrtleford this morning.
Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) assistant district secretary Andrew Vendramini said members had appealed to the company over the weekend to lift the two-month lockout so they could return to work on Monday.