Thread by @BelindaJones68

Here's an interesting story

Regional publishers struggling with paper prices, it's revealed

"Norwegian-owned Norske Skog is the only manufacturer of newsprint and magazine-grade paper in Australia."
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abc.net.au/news/2022-05-0… via @ABCaustralia

Why is a Norwegian-owned company the ONLY supplier of newsprint-grade paper in Australia?

We have trees

Btwn May 2018 - Nov 2020 the federal govt gave Norske Skog $1.5 million - basically for commercial Cyrene Production for the EXPORT market

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So, the federal Govt gave a Norwegian company $1.5 million for the EXPORT market

Even though Norske Skog are the ONLY suppliers of print-grade paper in Australia the Coalition Govt did not focus on that but rather promoting the export market
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Now, local, rural papers can't survive bcuz they have to rely on print-grade paper imported from Europe & all the associated supply chain problems/costs

Nobody saw this coming?

This is why we should be manufacturing in Australia for Australia
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Australia must go back to the drawing board & build-up our manufacturing industries that supply the domestic market FIRST then the export market

Not the other way around
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It's unfathomable to think, with our forestry & recycling industries, that newspapers have to rely on imports to print their papers

There is an opportunity here for other industries to emerge too - like hemp - which is incredibly versatile
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The current grant system is fundamentally flawed - an overhaul is needed

We also need to change our thinking about ALL domestic & export markets - businesses chasing the export buck are leaving our country seriously wanting for domestic supply
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This is just one example, from one industry but it's indicative of a wider problem

Think about this when you vote, choose a govt that will support local manufacturing for the domestic market rather than multinationals for the export market
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#auspol #ausvotes #ausvotes2022

2015 Norske Skog project proposed, in 2018 it was given a federal grant of $1.5 mill

Why weren't Govt MPs advocating for local paper manufacturing for domestic supply instead of Cyrene?

Media now paying the price for Coalition's lack of vision
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#auspol #ausvotes #ausvotes2022