The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) welcomes tonight’s Federal Budget confirmation of $86 million to establish new timber plantations, but warned more action is needed to ensure Australia can meet its future timber and wood fibre needs, AFPA Acting CEO Victor Violante said.
The 2022-23 Federal Budget includes the $86.2 million grants program announced last month to establish new timber plantations, and $4.4 million to strengthen Australia’s illegal logging traceability and timber ID systems.
“These initiatives are a good start and we commend Assistant Minister Duniam and the Coalition Government for recognising that Australia must urgently grow our timber plantation estate to ensure we have enough timber to build our homes and low-emission buildings and achieve a circular economy,” Victor Violante said.
“However, more action is needed to meet the Federal Government’s goal to plant the one billion additional timber trees by 2030 which Australia needs to meet future timber and wood fibre demand.
“As we head into the election campaign, we look forward to the Government and Opposition announcing more detail about their plans to grow Australia’s vital forest industries, including achieving the bipartisan One Billion Trees goal.”
AFPA has released its 2022 Federal Election ‘Plan for Growth’ which outlines what forest industries need from the next federal government to build the country, help fight climate change and provide sustainable wood fibre solutions for the future.
“We encourage all sides of politics to build on tonight’s Budget initiatives and commit to backing industry’s Plan for Growth in its entirety,” Victor Violante said.
AFPA also welcomes the Budget measures to improve supply chain resilience, tax incentives for farmers to undertake carbon farming projects and fuel excise cuts to ease transport cost pressures. We look forward to seeing the detail of how they will support Australia’s forest industries.
“Australia’s modern, carbon friendly forest industries are ready to play a greater role in Australia’s low-emission future, and we need a concerted focus from all sides of politics to maximise our potential,” Victor Violante concluded.
