'This was their life': Closing the door on Winstone Pulp | RNZ

Hundreds of mill workers near Ohakune farewelled their workplace for the final time, 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 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.
Reporter: Alexa Cook
Video: Reece Baker

[@hazzachannel1]

AN UTTER DISGRACE! EVERY JOB IN THAT PLACE AFFECTS 4/5 OTHER JOBS UP AND DOWNSTREAM! SOARING COSTS OF ELECTRICITY OUGHT NOT TO BE! THIS IS GOVERNMENTS, ALL OF THEM IN LAST 33 YRS! THIS IS A MAN-MADE DISASTER.

[@davehughes9905]

I think you will find this issue is 100% linked to the Adern leadership where decisions were made with no consideration to downstream consequences.

[@hazzachannel1]

@@davehughes9905 I THINK YOU WILL FIND IT CLEARLY CONNECTED TO 33 YRS OF INCOMPETENCE, STARTING WITH BOLGERS BUTCHERS!!

[@richsmith3300]

​@@davehughes9905they are all to blame not just her .

[@joanhanna6718]

Why havent the government done somthing to keep it going its very fishy on purpose i believe its a tragedy all those workers families power companys huge profits what disgrace nz going down

[@whabio450]

This mill. 600 in Timaru. Yet we subsidise Tiwai smelter with electricity. Nice one nats.

[@brycenew]

Good coverage RNZ; thank you.
Bloody gutting. Interesting how the current govt. bailed out Mt. Ruapehu / Ruapehu Alpine Lifts, but not this 365 days / year business.

[@parkerholden7140]

It is important to understand that two different pulp processes have VERY different markets. Ground wood, TMP, CTMP have to deal with a shrinking market. Chemically disolved pulp called Kraft has a very good market The two processes are very different and changing from one to the other is extremely expensive. Besides the Kraft process is stinky and there is often local opposition

[@MrKenng123]

Just don't lower the interest rate in tomorrow's meeting, my dear Reserve Bank of NZ. Thanks. 😅😊Just maintain it at its current high level. 🙏🙏🏼

[@kathleenlewis1954]

Shameful

[@richsmith3300]

The chinese companys will export the logs hole to cheaper third world countrys to get processed.?

[@MuzzaDemp]

If it’s bad news RNZ will always be first on the scene 👎