Victorian Liberal Nationals to be commended for calling for forest industry ban inquiry
The forestry industry has congratulated the Victorian Liberal Nationals Opposition for showing its support for the industry in Victoria and trying to ensure it has a future. On Tuesday the Opposition introduced a motion to State Parliament to establish an inquiry into the Government’s plan to end native forest harvesting by 2030. Its recommendations to […]
Andrews Government must urgently intervene to save timber towns and jobs
The Victorian Government must urgently intervene to save the Victoria’s native timber industry and the thousands of jobs it supports, industry peak bodies urged today. Yesterday’s court decision to extend an injunction preventing timber harvesting in 13 coupes is the latest setback for the industry, which was already reeling from the bushfires, the Andrews Government’s […]
Tasmanian government paves way for mechanical fuel reduction to tackle Australian bushfires
The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) welcomes the Tasmanian Premier’s announcement that he will introduce legislation to make it easier to mechanically remove vegetation to create fire breaks. AFPA has been urging all Australian governments to recognise the effectiveness of mechanical fuel reduction to complement prescribed burns as a bushfire mitigation tool, following the […]
AFPA CEO Ross Hampton’s ABC Op-ed on bushfire prevention
OPINION We’ve had a horror fire season, but locking up bushland isn’t a practical solution By Ross Hampton Posted Yesterday Salvage logging after the 2009 wildfires in Victoria. (Supplied: David Lindenmayer) It has been a tragic fire season. Families and communities have been devastated, not to mention the loss of livestock, native animals and carbon emissions […]
Australians identify lack of hazard reduction as the main reason for bushfires
The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) has noted the results of a Newspoll published in the Australian this week which found a majority of those surveyed believed insufficient hazard reduction was the main reason for the severity of the summer bushfires. The Newspoll, published on Monday, asked the question: “Which do you think was the […]
A win for Tasmanian forestry workers’ right to a safe workplace
The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) and Forest Industries Association of Tasmania (FIAT) have welcomed the Work Health and Safety Regulator’s common-sense decision to order the Bob Brown Foundation to cease all illegal forestry protests, which have endangered lives and impinged on forest workers’ right to a safe workplace. The workplace regulator’s Prohibition Notice directs […]
HAZARD REDUCTION NAMED IN NATIONAL BUSHFIRE ROYAL COMMISSION TERMS OF REFERENCE
The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) has welcomed the announcement by Prime Minister Scott Morrison of the terms of reference for the national bushfire Royal Commission and applauded the inclusion of hazard reduction as one of its priorities. The terms of reference include; “preparedness and resilience responsibilities, which includes land management and hazard reduction measures”. […]
Forestry contractors put their case for support to Federal MPs in parliament
A delegation of forestry contractors from Victoria and NSW held a series of productive meetings with Federal Government and Opposition Ministers, Shadow Minsters and local MPs in Canberra on Thursday to highlight the crisis they are facing as a result of the bushfires. Forestry contractors estimate the bushfires have cost them over $10 million in […]
Forest industries back R&D to help reach government $100 billion target
The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) welcomed the opportunity today to present at the Federal Government’s Standing Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources Inquiry into Growing Australian Agriculture to $100 billion by 2030, detailing our renewable forest industries capacity to grow and contribute significantly to the Government’s target. CEO of AFPA Ross Hampton said, “Forest […]
Forest industries welcome Minister Littleproud back to the Agriculture portfolio
Australia’s forest industries congratulates the Hon David Littleproud MP on being appointed Minister for Agriculture. The Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA), Ross Hampton said, “Minister Littleproud takes on this most important portfolio having already had experience in the role and has a great knowledge of the issues affecting agribusiness and […]