Statement: ForestOne closure in Benalla

It is absolutely devastating to hear that ForestOne Manufacturing will be ceasing its sawmill and particleboard operations in Benalla. This decision is placing hundreds of local jobs at risk.

Over recent weeks, I’ve met with local businesses across our region who are battling to stay afloat in an increasingly hostile environment for Victorian industry.

Rising costs and a complete lack of support from the Allan Labor Government are making it harder for regional businesses to survive. The closure of ForestOne is a heartbreaking example of these pressures in action.

In just the past year, business insolvencies in Victoria have jumped by 48 per cent. More than 4,200 Victorian businesses collapsed in the 2024–25 financial year, the largest increase of any mainland state.

Labor’s economic mismanagement is driving jobs out of our communities. Skyrocketing taxes, unaffordable energy bills, a broken WorkCover system and relentless red tape are crippling regional business, and its local families who are paying the price.

Small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of our local economy. They need a government that listens, lowers costs, and gives them a fair go.

I will continue to fight for the people of Benalla and for every worker affected by this decision. They deserve certainty, support, and a government that puts their livelihoods first.