Federal Government promise to source high-grade security paper from the speciality mill gives the company and employees security.
Australian Paper has welcomed the announcement but is ramping up its campaign for the Australian Government to mandate locally-made paper for a whole range of activities such as the printing of reports, gazettes, business stationery, ballot papers, business cards and brochures.
According to mill manager, Bruce Borchardt, the government needs to step up to the plate by recognizing the unique advantage of the locally made grades. “Australian Paper calls on the Australian Government to recognise the sustainability advantages of Australian-made specialty paper. Australian Government procurement for printed materials utilizing recycled papers from Shoalhaven would be in line with its own ICT Sustainability plan, and would create an example for others to follow in mapping out a positive future for the Shoalhaven Mill.
“Without broad recognition from printers, paper merchants and Government of the value that local paper manufacturing adds to our communities, there is a very real risk that Shoalhaven Mill will not remain in operation,” said Borchardt (pictured).
Shoalhaven Mill directly supports close to 100 local jobs and provides a unique range of papers, including recycled papers, chemically sensitized and watermarked security papers, which are not available from any other manufacturer in Australia.
The Federal Government has continued the contract for security passport paper from Shoalhaven to June 2015 but not beyond. “We thank Federal Member for Gilmore, Ann Sudmalis, for her efforts in ensuring that the Australian Government continues to purchase passport paper from Shoalhaven,” said Borchardt.
“Shoalhaven Mill makes some of the best special purpose papers in the world - including watermarked security paper, recycled papers, coloured papers and heavy weight papers - and support for the entire range is needed.
Australian Paper contributes $754 million in value-add to the Australian economy each year and directly and indirectly supports around 6,000 full-time jobs