Timber harvesting jobs lost in SA and Tasmania as China widens ban on Australian forest products

Hundreds of jobs have been lost as China’s uncompromising bans on Australia’s timber exports get tougher, according to industry leaders.

Up to 150 contractors — timber workers and haulage-truck operators — are now out of work in South Australia’s Green Triangle, one of the nation’s major timber-producing areas, and 100 jobs have been lost in Tasmania.

Confirmation of the job losses comes as China extended its Australian timber bans, with products from New South Wales and Western Australia being added to the list.

Chinese…