As Victoria’s Forestry Transition Program officially comes to an end today, the Victorian Greens say every dollar that Labor allowed to be misused to prop up logging in Tasmania is a dollar that could’ve gone towards investing in sustainable industries for local communities.
Labor promised the Victorian Forestry Transition Program would provide support for regional communities, but as the program ends today, the ABC reports that communities across Gippsland haven’t received the support they were promised.
Green Leader Ellen Sandell first referred to allegations of misused funds from the Victorian Forestry Transition to VAGO back in 2024.
A report from the Auditor-General released earlier this year found serious failures in oversight of the program and that millions of dollars were spent unchecked, with no evidence they were used as intended.
There have since been shocking reports of millions of taxpayer dollars from this fund going towards propping up native forest logging in Tasmania.
As stated by the Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell:
“Every dollar that Labor allowed to be spent destroying ancient forests in Tasmania was a dollar that should’ve instead been spent creating sustainable industries and secure jobs in regional Victoria.”
“Victorians were promised money to help workers and regional communities build a new sustainable future. Instead, Labor has allowed millions of taxpayer dollars to be misused to prop up destructive logging in Tasmania.”
“This program may be ending today, but Labor still has a responsibility to regional communities. It’s time to come clean about where the money went and deliver the sustainable future industries and transition that was promised.”
