Renaissance in forest industries research gets green light in Budget
The 2021-22 Federal Budget delivers a major step towards a new R&D vision for Australia’s renewable, carbon-positive forest industries that will turbocharge a new generation of jobs in advanced timber manufacturing and wood-based renewable bioproducts, with $1.3 million pledged for a feasibility study to create a new National Institute for Forest Products Innovation (NIFPI). In […]
AFPA calls on native forestry critics to drop the weapons and join the battle against climate change
The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) says a landmark study into the Black Summer bushfires confirming timber harvesting operations do not increase bushfire severity, and that the biggest factor is climate change, is an opportunity for all sides of the native forestry debate to join together to fight the real threat to our native forests […]
Unanimous Federal Court decision a major win for Victorian hardwood timber industry, confirms RFAs p…
The full bench of the Federal Court has today delivered an historic win for Australia’s sustainable native forest industries by confirming that forestry operations covered by Regional Forest Agreements provide all the environmental protections required by national environmental laws. In a unanimous decision, the Court upheld VicForests’ appeal against a single-judge decision 12 months ago […]
Sixteen months on from bushfires, forest industries’ mission to use as much burnt timber as possib…
As demand for Australian timber soars off the back of the COVID-19 pandemic-induced housing construction boom, forest industries should be congratulated for the amazing work they have done to mill a huge volume of sawlogs that were blackened during the 2019-20 summer bushfires and getting that timber to market. After 16 months, that hard work […]
More sustainable forest industries essential to meet global 2050 carbon neutrality goal, says new UN…
The newly installed Chair of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization’s (UN FAO) Advisory Committee on Sustainable Forest-based Industries (ACSFI), Ross Hampton, has made it clear that increasing sustainable forestry and timber industries is key to achieving the global ‘Carbon Neutral by 2050’ goal. Mr Hampton, who is also Chief Executive Officer of the […]
Contribution of trailblazing forest industries’ women will be highlighted at National Forest Indus…
Women in Australia’s forest industries will be a celebrated at the Australian Forest Products Association’s (AFPA) Gala Dinner and National Forest Industries Awards, at Parliament House in Canberra this September, Chief Executive Officer of AFPA, Ross Hampton said today. “In the past, forest industries haven’t always recognised the enormous contribution women have made in all […]
Forest Industries applaud Assistant Minister Duniam condemning use of children in dangerous protests
Australia’s forest industries congratulate Assistant Minister for Forestry, Jonathon Duniam who has condemned a case of activism in the Gippsland where a toddler was dangerously brought onto an active forestry site with operational machinery, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA), Ross Hampton said today. Speaking on Sky News last night, Senator […]
Federal Government confirms strong Commonwealth environmental oversight in Regional Forest Agreement…
Senior officials from the Federal Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment have confirmed the Commonwealth has oversight and termination powers over forestry operations covered by Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs), and that these powers are built into the RFA framework. During a Senate Committee hearing yesterday into proposed legislation sponsored by Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie […]
Federal Parliament must support Senator McKenzie legislation to provide certainty for native timber …
The Federal Parliament should unite to support legislation proposed by Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie that will provide certainty for Australia’s native hardwood timber industries and the thousands of people whose livelihoods depend on them, the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) and the Australian Forest Contractors Association (AFCA) said today. The Senate’s Environment and Communications Legislation […]
AFPA welcomes Federal Government extension of HomeBuilder start date
The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) has welcomed the Federal Government’s extension to the timeframe for construction commencements under its HomeBuilder program, Chief Executive Officer of AFPA, Ross Hampton said today. As the end of March 2021 deadline for applications under HomeBuilder approached, AFPA called on the Federal Government to extend the construction timeframe permitted under the program as […]