2025 Federal Election - the impact on Australian forestryFriday 2 May 2025
Diana Hallam said that following record commitments from Federal Labor and the Coalition in 2022 – the 2025 Federal Election campaign has delivered a more subdued policy and funding suite from the major Parties and we recognise that neither the Coalition, nor Labor, has committed in full to AFPA’s Election Platform – Australian Timber. Australia’s Future. “However, we do thank all the sides of politics which have offered constructive policies for our sector at this Election. AFPA has scored the Coalition three and a half stars out of five because of the leadership it provided on key areas of forest industry policy. Labor has been awarded two and a half stars out of five, despite not having released a specific policy for our sector as a whole, with the star score based on other announcements and existing policies,” Diana Hallam said. Under the leadership of Shadow Minister Jonno Duniam and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, the Coalition has been vocal about its support for native forestry, stating “A Dutton Government will not support any further bans on native forestry” , while also committing to establish new Permanent Timber Production Zones to support ongoing access to both native and plantation timber. The Coalition has also committed to delivering a key AFPA policy request – Country of Origin labelling for timber and wood products. This is a much-needed reform, so consumers can clearly understand where the timber they’re buying comes from, whether its Australian or from overseas. Labor has not committed to Country of Origin labelling to allow people to buy Australian, which is disappointing given their strong focus on ‘Buy Australian’ in the recent Budget and during the campaign. A Timber Manufacturing Expansion Program with $40 million in grants for mills to utilise wood from their own region has also been committed by the Coalition along with the removal of public funding from the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) – whose business model is to destroy honest businesses through continual disruptive lawfare. Federal Labor has committed $24 million for upgrades at Tasmania’s Boyer Mill, which AFPA welcomes, but stresses that, sector-wide manufacturing facilities are struggling with higher input costs, including energy. Labor has also committed to a new ReMade in Australia brand that will benefit our manufacturing facilities. We acknowledge the Albanese Government and Minister Julie Collins are in the process of continuing to deliver some of Labor’s 2022 Federal Election commitments, including funding for Australian Forest and Wood Innovations (AFWI), development of the National Timber Fibre Strategy, funding through the Support Plantation Establishment Program (SPEP), skills and training funding and support for Regional Forest Industry Hubs. Federal Labor has also committed to ongoing support for native forestry, stating “We remain committed to providing a framework that allows a sustainable native forest industry to continue” . More >> Source: AFPA | ||
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