'This Was Their Life': Closing The Door On Winstone Pulp

Thursday, 3 October 2024, 9:10 pm
Article: RNZ

Alexa Cook, Hawke's Bay and Tai Rāwhiti reporter

Hundreds of mill workers near Ohakune farewelled their workplace for the final time today, as Winstone Pulp International closed the doors on 45 years of operations.

Two-hundred and thirty workers from Winstone Pulp International lost their jobs when the mill confirmed last month that it'd close because of low pulp and timber prices and the soaring cost of wholesale power.

The move is expected to decimate the local towns of Raetihi and Ohakune who rely on the two mill sites for employment as it's the largest source of work in the rural area. But for many it's more than just a job, with a number of employees having worked there for decades.

"A lot of guys been coming here a long time and this was their life," said mill electrician Daniel Abernathy.

He's worked at the mill for 11 years.

"It's a sad day. It's the last time to see some of the guys... some have already left so you don't know when you are going to see them again," he said.

He's taking some time off before deciding what to do next.

"Hopefully I find something local. It won't pay anywhere near as well as this, but it'll keep me going."

The entire community rallied hard to try and save the mill by lobbying the government to intervene and help Winstone's strike a better deal with its power provider Mercury.

But despite resources minister Shane Jones vowing to turn the electricity authority into 'road kill' if it didn't use its regulatory muscles to get the gentailers in line, there was no intervention to save the day.

Campaign leader Liz Brooker told RNZ it had been a bitter pill to swallow, and ministers could have done more.

"Stop taking from the rural communities. We are as much a backbone of New Zealand as all of those in the offices of the big cities.

"Stop treating us like we are stupid... it's like 'they are insignificant they don't matter'," she said.

The mayor's taskforce estimates about 150 of the 230 workers have either found jobs or taken early retirement, but Brooker said that figure was likely much lower because there simply were not the job opportunities locally so families were being split up.

She said some were searching for options so they could stay put.

"There's a resolve for those that are going to be home here... to keep home fires burning and keep doing what we've always done," she said.

But there was concern about how the local economy will cope.

"Oh it's going to be catastrophic," Brooker said.

A catastrophy that Daniel Abernathy said will hit different people at different times, and he feared the worst was yet to come.

"I think in another couple of weeks it will be hardest for some people when you're no longer coming to work," he said.

The remaining 18,000 tonnes of logs were being sold to Nature's Fuel to turn into wood pellets - but Abernathy said the rest of the infrastructure faces an uncertain future.

"We really don't know, we're hoping someone will take it on, it's a good site... for someone to set up a big business - we just hope someone will come,"

Energy Minister Simeon Brown told RNZ that it was a sad day and his thoughts were with all of those affected.

"The government's priority is to ensure New Zealand has globally competitive energy prices to support Kiwi businesses and households.

"While high energy prices are one of a number of factors behind this closure, the government is working at pace to ensure New Zealand has reliable and globally competitive energy prices. Energy prices underpin our competitiveness as country of manufacturing and exports," he said.

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