Australasia's home for timber news and information

China adjusts import tariffs while closing the door to Australian timber

On 1 January 2021 China adjusted import tariffs on commodities including some of those in the most favoured nation (MFN) category, conventional tariffs and provisional tariffs commodities. This was in response to the various trade deals agreed including the Free Trade Agreement betwee
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Ikea now owns 613,000 acres of forest in US

Ikea holding company Ingka Group has acquired forestland property in the US from The Conservation Fund, a non-profit conservation organisation that has protected over 8 million acres of land in the US. The acquisition strengthens Ingka Group’s commitment to responsible forest manageme
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Good Design Award for first electric backhoe

CASE Construction Equipment has earned a 2020 Good Design Award from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and Metropolitan Arts Press for “Project Zeus”: the CASE 580 EV (electric vehicle) backhoe loader — the world’s first electric backhoe. The award recognizes “th
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Boards and execs are liable for manslaughter so OHS training is vital

A global risk management provider warns that delegating accountability for workplace safety will not be sufficient defence for board members and C-Suite executives under new industrial manslaughter laws across Australia. Source: Timberbiz Instead, company directors must be actively an
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NZ wilding control program may have residual problems

New Zealand is undertaking one of the largest wilding pine control programs in the world. The spread of wilding pines threatens the ecology and economy of indigenous grasslands, scrublands and forests, especially in the South Island high country. Source: Timberbiz Wilding pines are se
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Dizzying heights of new home builds can’t last

New Home Sales reached remarkable heights in December, nearly doubling compared with the number of sales recorded in November, according to HIA economist, Angela Lillicrap. The surge in sales has been attributed to HomeBuilder as households finalised contracts to build a new home befo
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New CEO for Vic Forest Products Association

Former Australian Pork senior executive Deb Kerr is the Victorian Forest Products Association’s foundation CEO. Ms Kerr has extensive experience in the primary industries sector, having worked in various industry representative roles across the sector, and most recently as a senior ex
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Eden-Monaro bushfire recovery fund applications close soon

Community groups right across Eden-Monaro are working furiously towards the upcoming deadline for the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund. Source: Timberbiz Federal Member for Eden-Monaro Kristy McBain said the fund closed on 28 January 2021 and will provide $250 million of funding
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Pine log yard development for Eden

Since the devastating 2020 bushfires, vital revenue from softwood export log sales together with woodchip sales from interim woodchip operations has allowed Allied Natural Wood Exports (ANWE) to retain employment during the rebuild of the Eden wood processing and export facility. Sour
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Not all NSW timber industry affected by China ban

The local timber industry in the Snowy Valleys has been largely unaffected by the recent ban on New South Wales timber being imported to China. Source: Tumut and Adelong Times Just before Christmas, China suspended imports of timber from NSW and Western Australia, with local customs o
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