Program overview
On 23 May 2023 the Victorian Government announced that native timber harvesting in Victorian state forests will end on 1 January 2024.
The Timber Supply Chain Resilience Package will provide support to Victorian manufacturers to access grants, professional advice, and planning services to support business transition and to plan for the future.
Businesses may only be eligible if they process native hardwood sourced from Victorian state forests to manufacture products such as (but not limited to) flooring, stairs, furniture, doors, windows, architectural features or pallets.
If you are not a Victorian manufacturer but are an impacted timber mill worker or business, or in the harvest and haulage industry, please visit the Forestry Plan webpage for more information on other programs being delivered through the Forestry Transition Program.
See the information below to determine which stream applies to your business.
The Timber Supply Chain Resilience Package offers two streams of support for eligible Victorian manufacturers.
Impacted Manufacturers Stream (grants of up to $3,000)
You are an impacted business if you are a Victorian manufacturer and native Victorian hardwood represents between 5% and 40% of your business’s material inputs.
The Impacted Manufacturers Stream provides grants of up to $3,000 to moderately impacted manufacturers.
Grants will be provided to eligible businesses to access services, advice or expertise from their nominated Qualified Service Provider, to assist with business continuity and to plan for the future.
Highly Impacted Manufacturers Stream
(Grants and services valued at up to $145,000)
You are a highly impacted business if:
- you are a Victorian manufacturer and native Victorian hardwood represents at least 40% of your business’s material inputs; or
- you are a Victorian manufacturer and at least 40% of your business’s revenue comes from the sale of products made with native Victorian hardwood.
The Highly Impacted Manufacturers Stream provides vouchers for business planning services and advice valued at up to $25,000.
Eligible voucher recipients will then be invited to apply for a grant of up to $120,000 to implement their Business Transition Plan
The voucher services will involve a Preliminary Business Diagnostic and Future Opportunities Assessment, including a financial health check and an assessment of future opportunities.
A full Business Transition Plan will also be provided to impacted businesses if required. The business transition services will include one or more of the following:
- specialist financial and accounting planning (including taxation)
- legal advice
- business planning
- marketing planning
- planning for an orderly business exit.
A service provider will be appointed by the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR) to deliver one or more of these services to eligible businesses.