We need to more cleverly adopt and use every contemporary means to educate, communicate and enthuse our fellow citizens about the benefits of wood and its products according to Sid Sidebottom, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Source: Timberbiz
“Social media campaigns are used by people who would harm this industry. Social media then must be adopted to combat this attack on this value-adding industry,” Sidebottom told delegates at the 5th Annual Industry Development Conference in Canberra.
“We all need to step up to spruiking the value of this industry in every which-way possible and adopt contemporary spokespeople and platforms to do this,” he told the 220 delegates.
“Stepping up the value chain must also mean stepping up the value of the forest, wood, paper and timber industry – such a natural product is naturally better. This is the truth. This should be the message.”
Simon Crean, Minister for Regional Australia, told the conference that a quick stock-take of speakers and attendees gave an indication of the world-class gathering of expertise working to position Australia’s forestry and timber industries for future growth – to “step them up the value chain”.
“You understand what is needed to grow productivity and competitiveness is about working innovatively, cooperatively and smarter.
“It’s about selling expertise and technology, offering the market a more sustainable and high-quality alternative to traditional products, and, reaching these goals takes perseverance,” he said.
The Minister said Australia’s success and prosperity in the rapidly transforming international market demands that we continue to be innovative and creative.
“As our White Paper demonstrates a transition that is seeing huge opportunities in Asia – the goods and services that the rapidly growing middle classes of Asia want, from quality food and other products, to education, financial, medical and other services. All areas where Australia is strong.”
However, the Minister said the current focus of the forest and forest products industry was in Tasmania.
“The industry has strong potential and is a fundamental part of Labor’s vision for the State.
“This is why the collapse of the talks to end the ‘forestry wars’ last weekend is not just a disappointment – quite frankly, it’s a tragedy.
It is a tragedy for the future of a sustainable forest products industry, it is a tragedy for the wider economy, because it will deny the State much needed funding to diversify its economy, and it is a tragedy because an agreement was, and remains, within reach.
“If the deal can be done, it will allow the industry to consolidate, diversify and grow, based on a sustainable resource. A long-term agreement built on sustainable supply will remove concerns about sovereign risk and provide opportunities for investment.
“And if an agreement can be reached, it could pave the way for another pulp mill — a pulp mill sourced from an entirely sustainable resource, where we know there is investment interest in world’s best practice technology and using a renewable energy resource and putting power back into the grid as well as power into the facility.
“You can’t get more sustainable than that.”
The Minister assured delegates that forestry had an enduring place in Australia’s national story.
Andrew Caddell, Canadian Trade Commissioner and global practice leader with Forestry Innovations, highlighted emerging technologies and markets for value added products and industry diversification using wood resources and fibres and some exciting applications in renewable energy, engineered wood products, textiles, food and new composite bio-products.
Professor Goran Roos, Chairman of VTT International, on prospects for Australian manufacturing and Joseph Bachmann, Global Forest Partners, highlighted the commercial investment environment for forests in Australia.
Other speakers included:
• Joe Bachman (Director of Portfolio Management and Partner of GFP) who spoke on the value North Americans see in our forests.
• Jim Henneberry (CEO of Australian Paper) explored the ‘Australian context for investments in value adding to Wood’
• Simon Dorries (CEO of the Engineered Wood products Association of Australia) spoke on “Free Trade or Fair Trade?” and initiatives aimed at trying to level the playing field for trade exposed businesses.
• Dr Harley Dale (Chief Economist of the Housing Industry Association) delved into what could be done to increase the number of housing starts and also explore with others, how to get more timber into Australian housing.
• Senator Richard Colbeck (Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries and Forestry, and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation, Industry and Science) spoke on the key issues of innovation and industry.
• Michael O’Connor (National Secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union) and Dr David Pollard (CEO of the Australian Forest Products Association) gave their perspectives on politics and influence to assist the industry to drive its own future.
• David Brand (CEO of New Forests) highlighted the future products and opportunities for Australia’s forestry.
Feedback from the conference was positive.
And while remaining on the positives, a meeting of the Women in Forests and Timber Network held in conjunction with the Industry Conference attracted more than 40 delegates and it too was adjudged a “complete success”.
