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 industries’ call for the recognition of the carbon stored in all wood products.
“AFPA welcomes the Committee’s recommendation for the urgent development of a carbon accounting method that recognises stored carbon in the built environment, as well as important recommendations around removing regulatory barriers to production tree planting for farmers and landowners in all the Regional Forestry Hubs,” Mr Hampton said.
“We also welcome the recommendation that the Federal Government establish the two missing Regional Forestry Hubs of North Northern Territory and South East New South Wales.
“Currently these regions are being left behind in the important collaborative work being done by other Hubs and are missing out on the funding provided to the other nine Hubs to enable them to develop regional growth plans.
“AFPA is also happy to work with the Committee’s recommendation that industry take the lead in the development of a voluntary code of conduct between the national tree growing companies and processors.
“I thank the Chair Rick Wilson MP and all the Committee members for the careful and considered approach they have taken to these important issues, including multiple visits to important forest industry regions as they have developed the recommendations,” Mr Hampton concluded.
The original media release is here: 210324_Turbo_charging_timbers_role_in_Australias_climate_strategy_recommended_by_Federal_Parliamentary_Committee__