With possibly just weeks until Australia goes to the polls, the 200,000 Australian voters who, directly or indirectly, rely for their livelihood on forestry, wood and paper products are still waiting to hear from the major parties. Source: Timberbiz
The forest, wood and paper products industry is the mainstay of a great many of our rural communities in electorates across the nation, from Grafton to Mount Gambier and Burnie as well as Gympie, Maryvale, Bunbury and too many others to list.
As an industry it turns over $22 billion and contributes 6.2% of the nation’s manufacturing value.
“A triple crunch of a high dollar, shrinking resource availability and surging input costs have made life very hard in recent years and many jobs have been lost. The industry is now lean and efficient and perfectly positioned to play a large part in filling forecast growing demand in East Asia and China. Which is why it is so important for forestry workers and employers to hear the major parties unambiguously back the industry before the coming federal election,” said AFPA Chief Executive Office Ross Hampton.
Australia’s forests and wood products enterprises provide a broad range of products based on a biological resource supplied and renewed by the sun. Wood is used in timber furniture, framing for buildings and is transformed into paper and tissue products almost without number.
Through innovative technology, it is also making its way into plastics, multi-storey timber buildings and ‘smart’ packaging which ‘knows’ if it has been opened.
Mr Hampton said,
“Forest products can play a very large role in satisfying the demands of a growing population for building and lifestyle materials which are sustainable. They can also underpin significant sustainable development and the creation of regional jobs. This is an environmental and economic win/win,” said Hampton.
AFPA is re-releasing for the election its policy roadmap, ‘A renewable future’. This document details eight key policy priorities and a range of realistic, achievable actions. AFPA calls on the Government and Opposition to commit to the plan.
1. Plan for a renewable future. Recognise the environmental and economic value to the Australian community of a vibrant forest products industry and plan for expanded contribution of the industry to a low carbon economy.
2. Carbon economy and renewable energy. Deliver a better regulatory environment and a new program of direct action for the commercialisation of carbon sequestration in forests and forest products through payments for carbon storage and greater use of biomass for renewable energy.
3. Building resource security. Stimulate capital investment for new softwood and hardwood plantations and support the Regional Forest Agreements to provide long term wood supply from sustainably managed forests.
4. Competitive energy networks. Deliver competitive and efficient (low cost) energy networks for wood and paper manufacturing users, including affordable gas and associated gas infrastructure.
5. Improving market access. Deliver fast and effective anti-dumping action, support certification, address illegally sourced imports of wood and paper products and recognise the environmental advantages of wood through building codes and energy rating schemes.
6. Public communications. Promote the benefits of sustainable forest management and recognise the renewability of products derived from wood through public communications activities.
7. Investment environment. Facilitate investment comparable to other countries, by reducing sovereign risk, transparent planning processes and incentives for investment.
8. Infrastructure and R&D. Develop better infrastructure promote skills and resume funding of R&D in sustainable forest industries.
