Australia’s largest household hardware chain will not sell timber sourced from contentious Tasmanian forests that the Government wants to re-open to logging earlier than planned. Source: ABC News
The suppliers of timber to Bunnings have informed the retail giant that they would only source wood from existing forest coupes.
The Tasmanian Government wants to allow logging in 356,000 hectares of land otherwise protected under a moratorium until 2020, with legislation that passed the Lower House in March set to be debated in the Upper House next week.
The State Opposition tabled a letter in Parliament from Bunnings managing director Michael Schneider outlining the company’s position on the Government’s plan to allow logging in 356,000 hectares of informal forest reserves.
“We have been consistent in stating publicly that we welcome an outcome that supports the timber industry, local communities and the environment,” Mr Schneider states in the letter.
“Our Tasmanian suppliers have advised us that they will not be sourcing our timber from outside their existing coupes.”
Mr Schneider said while Bunnings “has no desire to be drawn into the current debate”, the company had been asked to “confirm our position in relation to the sourcing of timber products” by writing to the leaders of both major parties in Tasmania.
Bunnings had a “long-standing commitment to pursue sustainability across our operations by striving to make them socially responsible and economically viable,” Mr Schneider said.
He said Bunnings had “committed a zero-tolerance approach to illegally logged timber almost two decades ago … and we can now state with confidence that more than 99% of our timber products are sourced from low-risk plantations or verified legal and sustainable forest operations”.
“We recognise consumers are increasingly aware of issues relating to procurement and expect to know the source of timber they purchase,” Mr Schneider said.
Resources Minister Guy Barnett, who is driving the Government’s legislative agenda — known as Forestry (Unlocking Production Forests) Bill 2017 — said Mr Schneider’s letter was not a setback.
“No, not at all, this is confirming that we have very strong and high standards for forest management in Tasmania here, in fact it’s best practice,” he said. “This is voluntary, this will save the jobs of hundreds of Tasmanians and end the subsidies.”
The Government, which has been accused of returning the state to so called “forest wars”, has argued the additional areas are needed to make the ailing state-owned Forestry Tasmania (FT) more sustainable.
Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said the letter from Bunnings made it clear a “very significant retailer” had joined a chorus of opponents to the plan.
“The Bunnings letter tells us there is no serious player in the timber industry that supports Barnett and the Liberal’s plan to log high conservation forests,” she said.
Smaller operators ‘support logging plan’ Industry players today briefed Legislative Councillors, who are preparing to debate the legislation next week.
Tony Stonjek from AKS Forests Solutions said smaller saw millers were fully supportive of the Government’s plan.
“Country saw millers and small saw millers don’t currently have access to the resource because the bigger mills have contracts with people like Forestry Tasmania,” he said. “Once those are met there’s very little left the small saw millers.
“The country saw millers that we have spoken to are fully supportive of the bill and are really looking forward to the outcome.”
Mr Stonjek said at least 20 sawmills had contacted him in support.
“The larger saw millers are wanting to monopolise the resource, the smaller millers are falling by the wayside. These are regrowth forests that have been managed in the past and need to be managed again.”
Forest Industries Association Tasmania (FIAT) chief executive Terry Edwards reiterated FIAT does not support the bill.
Mr Edwards said the areas should not be turned it into productive forests until they undergo scientific analysis.
“The problem we have is the markets were assured in 2014 that this would not occur and that this land would remain quarantined from harvest activity until 2020,” he said. He said Japanese customers were already asking questions.
“This will have ramifications for us, if the timber is controversial the markets will not buy it.”
Tania Rattray, the independent Member for Apsley and a traditional supporter of the timber industry, said areas near mountain bike trails in her electorate should be removed from the map of areas proposed to be opened up to logging.
The Government has excised areas near the Three Capes Track, and Ms Rattray said the same should occur near trails in her electorate.
“There’s a broad community concern about harvesting impacting on the fantastic initiatives like the Blue Derby and Blue Tier trails that have come about in leaps and bounds,” Ms Rattray said.
“I want to know why we can’t excise those areas. That’s something I’ll be working on with the Government over the next few days before we debate the bill.”
She said MLCs opinions on the bill would hinge of a briefing from Forestry Tasmania.
