As late as March 5 Mr Paul made an impassioned plea for NSW Environment Minister Robyn Parker to visit the mill amid growing anger and frustration about access to logging areas.

Last week the minister came to Tamworth and Armidale, announcing feel-good environmental projects, including the much anticipated heritage orders for the King George V Ave English oaks in Tamworth. It was a media job that captured plenty of attention.

Paddy Paul waited in vain for a visit 45 minutes away. Perhaps he should have been invited, encouraged, asked, even notified that if Mohammed doesn’t go to the mountain, then the mountain could come to Mohammed.

While the local member was squiring the minister around town he might have also been able to introduce the timber owner to the environmental pollie and perhaps facilitate a five minute hearing.

Spare a thought for Paddy Paul. 

He’s been waiting for a draft report by the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) investigating the management of cypress forests in the Brigalow and Nandewar regions.

It was commissioned last year and the mill hopes the findings will lead to the government opening state conservation areas like Trinkey State Forest and areas in the Pilliga to commercial logging so the mill –

now stuck in limbo – can continue operating.

The timber mill may only have three months worth of sustainable logging left, and when that goes, it could potentially close by the end of May.

Paddy Paul says he’s being continually fobbed off.

The NRC’s Dr John Keniry visited Gunnedah Timbers last October to help gather information, announcing a draft report was being prepared for the premier last December.

That report is yet to be finalised because the NRC needs more information and the whole thing 

looks like it is subject to two portfolios now: the Office of Environment and Heritage and State Forests – the portfolios of Ms Parker and Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson.

Mr Paul spoke with Ms Hodgkinson in Gunnedah recently; now he wants to get to Ms Parker to explain the problems he’s facing.

He wants to show her what’s at stake, tell her it’s a no-brainer. 

Mr Paul is in no-man’s land. 

So is his business plan, his future planning and the 30 workers he has.

Kevin Anderson says he’s frustrated and has written to Ms Parker asking her to intervene. 

Mr Anderson’s not half as much frustrated as Paddy Paul. He has more reason to be.

It’s just another example of bureaucratic red tape threatening what is a viable business. 

Well might Barnaby Joyce say the departments now need to act at the speed of a thousand gazelles.