The Malinauskas State Government is delivering on another forestry focused election commitment with the release of the South Australian Wood Fibre and Timber Industry Master Plan.
The Master Plan provides a vision to further grow and develop South Australia’s $1.4 billion forest and timber industry for now and future decades. The Plan has been developed by the Forest Industries Advisory Council of South Australia (FIAC-SA) in consultation with the Minister for Forest Industries, the Honourable Clare Scriven MLC.
Three goals have been identified through the Master Plan to strengthen the state forest and timber industries, domestic manufacturing and infrastructure capability, including:
- The right resource and capability
- A future focused workforce
- A clean and green circular economy.
The Master Plan will immediately start investing in projects identified as priorities with a $200,000 investment for Fennell Forestry to commence Phase Two of an electric log truck trial – examining how heavy vehicle decarbonisation can contribute towards a green circular economy. The trial will build on the outcomes of a Phase One trial run last year by Fennell Forestry testing Australia’s first electric heavy vehicle.
The Master Plan will be reviewed annually to keep pace with socioeconomic and environmental changes influencing the industry, particularly in such areas as international trade, climate change and technological developments.
In addition to the electric log truck trial, the State Government has also announced $70,000 in funding for the South Australian Forest Products Association to develop a State of the Industry Report. Other projects identified as priorities through the Masterplan will be developed and implemented over the next three years as part of the State Government’s $2 million election commitment.
For further information on the South Australian Wood Fibre and Timber Industry Master Plan visit pir.sa.gov.au/forestry
As put by Premier Peter Malinauskas
As the birthplace of Australian plantation forestry, South Australia’s $1.4 billion forest industries have a long and distinguished history of nurturing a forward thinking and innovative mindset.
The South Australian Wood Fibre and Timber Industry Master Plan provides a strategic direction for the industry to build on its numerous strengths particularly through the further investment in major value-adding activities such as sawn timber, engineered wood products and in emerging markets such as carbon farming and biomass.
The State Government is making sure the industry is ready for the future, through our contribution to this Master Plan, our $15 million investment over ten years for the new Forestry Centre of Excellence, and through the $2.3 million fire tower network upgrade project with its game-changing artificial intelligence (AI) bushfire camera detection and monitoring system.
As put by Clare Scriven
Our forest industries are a significant contributor to our state’s economy, and this South Australian Wood Fibre and Timber Industry Master Plan presents the vision to be a future focused circular economy, sustainably driving the state’s economic prosperity with globally recognised skills and innovation.
I am delighted that government has worked side by side with a broad section of the forest industries to deliver this election commitment, and this Plan will be of significant benefit to this vital industry.
Collaboration has been a key part in the development of this Master Plan and I look forward to the ongoing partnership with industry through FIAC-SA as the associated projects are implemented to ensure that all South Australians continue to benefit from the sustainable growth and future success of South Australia’s forest industries.
