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 […]
AFPA and VFPA pay tribute to timber industry champion, Malcolm Hole
The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) and Victorian Forest Products Association (VFPA) today pay tribute to forestry industry advocate, Wellington Shire councillor and all-round Gippsland community champion, Malcolm Hole, who has passed away. Malcolm Hole was a major supporter of the local timber industry across the Gippsland, but especially in the Wellington Shire, which he […]
Daniel Andrews’ sham forestry plan felled
The Victorian Labor Government has finally admitted that its promise to transition the state’s native regrowth timber industry to solely plantation-based timber by 2030 is a sham. The Age today revealed that Victoria’s Agriculture Minister Mary-Anne Thomas has conceded that the promised plantations won’t be ready by 2030. Victorian Agriculture Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the […]
Federal Government commits to unlocking forest industries’ carbon storing potential to tackle clim…
Federal Assistant Minister for Forestry Jonathon Duniam has signalled the Federal Government will ramp up efforts to unlock the carbon storing potential of Australia’s forest industries, drive growth in the plantation estate and boost future timber supply. Speaking at the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) Members’ Forum in Canberra on Wednesday, Assistant Minister Duniam said […]
Government asked to extend HomeBuilder deadline as Australian timber sawmills ramp up to supply reco…
The national Association representing Australia’s sawmills has reassured builders and homeowners that everything is being done to supply as much construction timber as possible to meet soaring demand. Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ross Hampton, said the domestic timber industry supplies around 80 per cent of the timber used in home […]
Turbo charging timber’s role in Australia’s climate strategy recommended by Federal Parliamentar…
The key role timber products can play in helping Australia achieve its climate goals has been recognised through a newly released House of Representative Standing Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources report called “Aussie logs for Aussie jobs”. Australian Forest Products Association Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ross Hampton welcomed the influential Committee’s endorsement of forest […]
Federal Government’s rejection of Samuel EPBC Review plan to scrap RFAs welcome
The Federal Government’s commitment to retain Australia’s successful Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs) and reject the Samuel Review’s criticism of them will be welcomed by forest industry workers around the country, Chair of the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA), Mr Greg McCormack said today. “We welcome Assistant Minister for Forestry Jonathon Duniam’s commitment that the Federal […]
Forest industries meet in Canberra ahead of next federal election
Australia’s forest industries representatives will convene in Canberra this week for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic’s worldwide impact on trade and commerce, Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) Chair, Mr Greg McCormack, said today. “It’s critical that representatives from across the full-value chain of Australia’s forest industries meet again in person to discuss future […]