Friday Offcuts – 7 February 2025
Click to Subscribe - It's FREE! Welcome to this week's edition of Friday Offcuts.Timber could play a key role in addressing the housing crisis, with Australia's forestry sector capable of supplying 50,000 new homes annually. There a great WoodChat episode explores how timber construction balances resilience and sustainability in bushfire-prone areas, and it’s also encouraging to see CBA backing the prefabricated construction industry. In New Zealand, emission reduction targets highlight the need for balanced forestry offsetting to support sustainable agriculture. While Federated Farmers and Beef+Lamb NZ have raised concerns about forestry expansion, the Government emphasises that both sectors are crucial in meeting emission goals. In other developments, forestry representatives have withdrawn their legal action over ETS fees, and Scion sees major opportunities in the new Gene Technology Bill. A recent incident involving a self-loading truck trailer detachment has prompted the Log Transport Safety Council to issue a safety alert emphasising the need for safety redundancy in electronic ring feeder release systems. Meanwhile, Ecostore has committed $323,000 to a "cultural shift" in safety, focusing on AI technology for hazard alerts and improved chemical handling practices. Finally, WoodTECH 2025 is coming to New Zealand and Australia in just over a month. Early bird discounts end today (7 Feb), but group registrations still offer big savings. Check out the story below for details on keynote speakers. Read these and more in another packed edition of Friday Offcuts.
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This week we have for you:
Australia’s timber industry – ready, willing and able
Ahead of the 2025 Federal Election, Australia’s forestry
and timber sector reminds the members of the
47th Parliament and candidates hoping to be elected to
the 48th Parliament that it can help ease the national
housing crisis and build the homes of tomorrow. The reminder
comes at the same time new figures show the country fell almost 70,000
new homes short of its 2024 target, Chief Executive Officer of the
Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA), Diana Hallam said today.
“Following the building boom spurred by COVID and subsequent downturn, Australia’s timber manufacturers have timber ready now to help build the new homes our country needs. Not only is our locally grown and processed timber a quality building material, but it also stores carbon, helping Australia fight climate change,” Diana Hallam said. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show Australia fell 68,606 homes short of its 2024, 240,000 target – with detached housing approvals falling 2.8 per cent in December. “As the Federal Election draws closer – Australia needs policy solutions on the table that will help drive construction of the new homes Australia needs for the future. When you use Australian timber to build those homes the benefits multiply quickly. You’re using a local and quality product that harnesses local industry and workforces – with many located in regional communities. You then have the added benefit of significant carbon storage in the home and structural timber is a far more climate-friendly construction material than energy-intensive steel or bricks,” Diana Hallam said. Last year AFPA launched in conjunction with Master Builders Australia (MBA) How Timber Can Help Solve Australia’s Housing Crisis – showing the local forestry and timber sector’s capacity to help build 50,000 new homes annually. That capacity remains and stands ready and waiting with recent figures showing local structural sawn softwood sales at a nine-year low in 2023-24. “Our sector has the product ready to go to build new homes. We do however require effective national, state and local government policy to help boost the construction sector and encourage an uptick in building new homes with timber products,” Diana Hallam said. “AFPA will continue working with both the Albanese Government, Coalition and key crossbenchers in the Parliament to ensure as much of our wonderful home grown, sustainable timber goes into Australia’s new homes of tomorrow, supporting local economies, communities and helping fight climate change,” Diana Hallam concluded. Source: Australian Forest Products Association Forestry fears unfounded, say sector players
New Zealand does not need to plant vast areas of new forests to
meet new greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, say foresters and
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts. Last month the
government announced plans to reduce emissions by 51-55%
compared to 2005 levels by 2035, as part of its second international
climate target under the Paris Agreement.Federated Farmers and Beef + Lamb NZ both said the new target will require a surge in new afforestation to achieve, but Watts said that is not the case. “That is not the reality.” Watts said in an interview that forestry offsetting is part of the government’s emissions reduction plan, but other measures, such as renewable energy, electric vehicles and technology for the agricultural sector, will all contribute. “We want to grow the economy, and we need the agricultural sector to play to its strengths. There has got to be a balance so we ensure we do not put NZ farming at risk,” said Watts. More >> Source & image credit: Farmers Weekly WooodChat: Building safely with timber in bushfire zones
Our latest FWPA WoodChat episode focuses on one of the most
pressing and devastating challenges faced by communities around the
world, bushfires. At the time of recording, in January 2025,
the catastrophic bushfires raging across Los Angeles have been
dominating global headlines. These fires have caused widespread
destruction and distress to people and ecosystems.Australia’s Experience with Bushfire Risk Management Unfortunately, Australians are no strangers to such events, as communities here have long endured their own battles with managing the risks and consequences of bushfires. With this firsthand experience comes valuable expertise, particularly in the areas of bushfire risk management and the innovative use of materials that increase the resilience of buildings in high-risk zones. Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA) has been leading the way for the safe and effective use of fire-resistant building materials, specifically timber, in bushfire prone areas by undertaking extensive research and developing Codes and Standards to ensure that timber construction in bushfire zones is as safe, practical, and reliable as possible. Insights from Industry Experts: Boris Iskra and Kersten Gentle To explore this topic in greater depth, we spoke with Boris Iskra, National Codes and Standards Manager at FWPA. Boris shared his perspective on the devastating Californian fires and offered valuable insights into the bushfire mitigation techniques and safety measures adopted in Australia. The conversation covered the evolving landscape of fire safety design for timber buildings, highlighting recent advancements that make timber framing for bushfire resilience a viable and increasingly popular choice. Additionally, listeners will hear from Kersten Gentle, CEO of the Frame & Truss Manufacturers Association of Australia (FTMA). Kersten recently penned an impactful Opinion Piece, in which she outlines why timber remains a sustainable choice for construction in bushfire-prone areas. She discusses a variety of benefits, from its adaptability to its compatibility with modern safety standards. Timber construction, when paired with informed designs and best practices, can effectively balance resilience with sustainability. This episode is not just about sharing knowledge; it aims to inspire confidence in using timber as a core component of fire safety design. Timber construction in bushfire zones, when executed correctly, offers sustainable solutions that align with rigorous bushfire mitigation techniques. From understanding the importance of compliance to codes like Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) assessments to exploring innovations in fire-resistant, durable timber products, we’re highlighting the future of sustainable and resilient building practices. Tune in to hear these expert voices and learn how the timber industry in Australia and beyond is not only adapting to bushfire challenges but also leading the way with forward-thinking solutions that keep communities safer while remaining committed to sustainable practices. Listen to WoodChat - Episode 36 Source: FWPA  Legal action dropped over ETS Forestry Registry
Minister of Forestry Todd McClay has welcomed a decision by
forestry sector representatives to drop Judicial Review proceedings
related to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) fees. “The Judicial Review was initiated in response to the excessive fees imposed on the forestry sector by the previous Government,” Mr McClay says. “The previous Labour government made a number of decisions that drove up the cost of ETS Registry and they expected the forestry sector to blindly pay for their mistakes." The National-led coalition Government has worked hard to rebuild confidence in the forestry sector over the past 12 months. There have been working collaboratively with the sector to ensure we get the settings right to restore trust to the over 4,300 forestry participants in the ETS registry. Last year the Government announced that the cost of participating in the ETS registry would be reduced by 50 per cent for forest owners, and the formation of a Forestry Sector Reference Group to find more cost savings over the next year. “This Government backs forestry, it will continue to play a key role in achieving our ambitious target of doubling exports by value in 10 years and helping New Zealand meet its climate change obligations,” Mr McClay says. Source: Beehive Scion supports Gene Tech Bill
Scion believes gene technology is key to delivering significant
benefits for New Zealand, and we support proposed regulatory
changes to better enable its development.In its submission on the government's Gene Technology Bill, the Crown Research Institute says the changes will help New Zealand remain competitive on a global scale. “Other countries are already adopting gene technologies to generate economic benefits and protect human and environmental health while developing cleaner and more sustainable processes,” says Dr Alec Foster, Scion’s acting General Manager – Forests to Biobased Products. “To remain competitive, New Zealand needs a regulatory framework that enables collaborative advanced technology development while honouring our unique cultural heritage and environmental stewardship responsibilities.” The Bill’s purpose is to enable the safe use of gene technologies and regulated organisms by managing the risks they pose to people and the environment. Alec says it will facilitate a collaborative, co-ordinated science approach that will give New Zealand a pathway towards economic prosperity, social advancement and environmental innovation. “These proposed regulations lay the foundations for New Zealand's future bioeconomy - where advances in food and fibre production and sustainable technology drive economic growth and tackle global challenges.” Consultation on the Bill is open until 17 February 2025 and Scion encourages people to share their views as part of this process. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon recently announced plans to ease restrictions on gene technologies by the end of 2025 to enable research and product development. This change will boost New Zealand's productivity and innovation across healthcare, climate solutions and export markets. “New Zealand has historically relied on imported gene technology products, while our regulations have constrained domestic research and innovation,” Alec says. “Now, as technologies advance and global regulations evolve, New Zealand is modernising its regulatory framework to capitalise on these opportunities.” As New Zealand's leading institute for industrial biotechnology and forestry, Scion is pioneering multiple gene technology projects. This research delivers sustainable solutions across biofuels, bioplastics, high-value chemicals and nutraceuticals, using waste biomass and greenhouse gases as feedstocks. “We're advancing research on enhanced carbon sequestration in trees and conducting world-first field trials of gene-edited conifers designed to improve forest productivity and enable future biorefinery applications,” Alec says. These and other initiatives help showcase the direct benefits of gene technology in addressing complex environmental and economic challenges, particularly across the forestry and industrial sectors. Source & image credit: Scion  CBA backs prefabricated construction industry
Commonwealth Bank of Australia has announced it will become the
first bank to join prefabAUS, the peak body for
Australia’s off-site construction industry, while also introducing
policy changes to simplify the home buying journey for prefabricated
housing, helping to deliver greater supply.CBA is joining prefabAUS as the organisation’s first bank member and has agreed to sponsor the development of a standard form contract for the modern methods of construction (MMC) sector to help support home buyers and manufacturers. Standard-form contracts for traditional on-site construction are widely available and accepted by banks, allowing home buyers to enter into an agreement and commence dwelling construction on-site with bank finance. However, this streamlined process does not currently exist for the prefabricated construction industry where homes are built off-site. At the Treasurer’s Investor Roundtable in November, banks and other investors committed to addressing barriers to financing modern methods of construction, in particular pre-fabricated housing. “Prefabricated construction is fast, efficient and can play a meaningful role in addressing Australia’s housing shortage. To date however, everything about construction has been created with traditional, on-site work in mind, and we need to rapidly reimagine how we support this industry to unlock scale and deliver more quality and sustainable homes to market sooner,” said Mike Vacy-Lyle, Group Executive Business Bank at CBA. “CBA has a track record of supporting innovative construction companies, including our work with Modscape since 2017, to bring cutting-edge home-building technology to Australia. Now, we’re proudly joining prefabAUS to work closely with and support local manufacturers. Overseas in countries like Sweden, 80 per cent of houses are being factory built, and we would expect to see Australia’s prefabricated construction sector expand rapidly,” he said. The bank also plans to introduce policy changes later this quarter, to help improve access to finance for those Australians who are considering purchasing a prefabricated home. Under the new policy – which is a first among the major banks – Commonwealth Bank will enable customers to access progress payments prior to the property being affixed to land, up to 60 per cent of the total contract price, rather than the customer having to fund up to 90 per cent of the upfront costs, which has previously been the case. Customers who use an accredited CommBank prefab manufacturer to construct their property will be able to access progress payments up to 80 per cent of the total contract price. “While prefabricated homes are a great housing option for many Australians, they have been historically challenging to finance, with customers needing to cover much of the upfront costs,” said Michael Baumann, Executive General Manager Home Buying at CBA. “We want to alleviate some of the financial barriers associated with prefabricated properties. We believe these upcoming changes will help to achieve just that, giving more Australians the chance to look at this way of building a home, which could, in turn, help deliver more supply to market faster.” More >> Source & image credit: Commonwealth Bank of Australia WoodTECH 2025 – running in New Zealand & Asutralia this March
The wood industry is at a crossroads. Increasingly stringent environmental regulations, fluctuating timber prices, and a growing demand for sustainable practices are putting pressure on businesses to innovate and adapt. To thrive in this evolving landscape, staying informed about the latest technologies and trends is more critical than ever.That’s why FIEA is excited to invite you to WoodTECH 2025, the premier technology and innovation showcase for the wood industry. This event is a chance to learn about the latest trends and technologies that are shaping the future of wood manufacturing, connect with industry leaders, and discover solutions to the challenges facing this sector. WoodTECH 2025 features exhibits, demonstrations, and presentations from global industry experts. Keynote Speakers
WoodTECH 2025 runs on 13-14 March 2025, Rotorua, New Zealand and 18-19 March 2025, Melbourne, Australia. Click here for further details  Biochar's carbon storage potential undervalued
Biochar, a charcoal-like material derived from plant biomass, has long
been hailed as a promising tool for carbon dioxide removal. However, a new study by Stanford
researchers highlights a critical issue: current
methods for assessing biochar's carbon storage potential may
significantly undervalue its true environmental benefits.The paper, published in Environmental Research Letters points the way to more accurately evaluating biochar, and boosting its credibility as a climate change solution. The research challenges conventional durability metrics and proposes a more nuanced framework for evaluating biochar projects. It grew out of an early project looking at soil's ability to capture carbon dioxide. "We realized that even though biochar is really important component of the carbon removals market, there is very little useful data on how it actually behaves," said study co-author Kate Maher, a professor of Earth system science in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and a senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. "It is important for policymakers and buyers to be aware of this." More >> Source & image credit: Phys.org Image credit: Oregon Dept of Forestry Safety alert from Log Transport Safety Council
Please find attached a Safety Alert update following a serious log
transport incident on SH30 Atiamuri in the South Waikato on January
21st involving the trailer of a self-loading truck
detaching while driving on a public road. The details of the
incident are covered in further detail in this NZ Herald Article.An investigation has been conducted involving the NZ Police Commercial Vehicle Safety Team, New Zealand Transport Agency, and members of the LTSC including a self-loader specialist. Many thanks to the LTSC members involved for their work on the investigation. The investigation identified that the truck was fitted with an electronic ring feeder system to assist with attaching and detaching the trailer remotely from the cab of the self-loader crane. The system had been installed with a simple switch. During the journey a recently installed RT became dislodged and struck the electronic ring feeder switch, releasing the ring feeder and allowing the trailer to detach while the truck was moving. LTSC has identified that there are five self-loader trucks in the country running this system. The other four trucks have been recalled immediately by the installer for inspection and any necessary modification required. The Safety Alert recommends that any electronic release system for a ring feeder must have safety redundancy incorporated. It is recommended that a two-step stitch is installed, and that the switch is only enabled when the PTO of the crane is engaged. Please see the Safety Alert for further details. Source: Log Transport Safety Council Ecostore commits $323k to ‘cultural shift’ in safety
AI technology with real time hazard alerts is central to a new
safety commitment WorkSafe New Zealand has accepted from the well-known
household brand, Ecostore.It comes after a worker suffered chemical burns to his eyes while making dishwasher powder in March 2023. The worker was injured while trying to shut off a pressurised hose that had come loose and was spraying hazardous liquid into the air at Ecostore’s factory in Pakuranga, Auckland. WorkSafe investigated and found an inadequate supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), particularly eyewear, staff training gaps for chemical handling, and lack of emergency management. In response to the incident, Ecostore is making what it calls an “holistic cultural shift” on health and safety worth over $323,000. The company applied to WorkSafe for an enforceable undertaking, which is a binding commitment to bring about health and safety improvements. It includes:
WorkSafe will regularly monitor progress on the agreed commitments and can resume prosecution of Ecostore if necessary. “Ecostore’s investment exceeds what even the courts may have ordered in penalties. This demonstrates a substantial commitment to health and safety, with benefits circled back to the community, workers, and industry,” says Mark Horgan. Manufacturing is one of New Zealand’s most dangerous sectors, which is why it’s a focus of WorkSafe’s new strategy. Our priority plan for manufacturing notes exposure to hazardous substances as a specific source of high harm. WorkSafe’s role is to influence businesses to meet their responsibilities and keep people healthy and safe. More >> Source & image credit: WorkSafe NZ  Timber tower to redefine Sydney’s skyline
Tzannes is set to elevate sustainable construction with its
latest project at 4-6 York Street, Sydney, a 13-storey timber
tower designed for New York-based investor Tony Cheng’s
NGI Investments. Positioned opposite Wynyard Park, the development will
be Australia’s tallest fully massed timber commercial building.
Tzannes co-director Alec Tzannes, speaking to The Courier Mail highlighted the project’s structural innovation: “It’s fully massed timber above the steel cantilevers required to span over the railway tunnels. Eleven storeys, including wet areas, fire escapes, and the lift shaft, are entirely in timber, while two hybrid floors incorporate steel supports.” Building on its legacy with International House Sydney and Daramu House, Tzannes continues to push the boundaries of sustainable architecture. More >> Source: Neos Kosnos Image credit: Tzannes New multispecies forestry tool for NZ
This interactive web application empowers users to explore the
growth rates of a diverse range of exotic tree species commonly used in
forestry across New Zealand. Developed by Scion and Carbon
Critical, the Dashboard leverages the advanced tree growth models and
carbon predictions found in the Multi-Species Carbon Calculator.What can you do with the Multispecies Dashboard?
Try it out today: multispecies.nz Source: Scion/Carbon Critical Clear-fall operation to remove hazardous pines
A clear-fall operation is set to start soon in Armidale State
Forest to remove dead and dying pine trees, which present a public
safety risk. The northern section of the pine plantation in
Armidale State Forest has been closed due to safety concerns over the
instability of pine trees that died during the 2019-2020 drought.Northern Regional Manager Gary Pearson said a previous harvest operation selectively removed dead and dying trees in the forest and aimed to leave as many trees as possible.“Further trees have since died and storms have impacted the compartment increasing the risk to the public of overhead hazards from falling branches and leaning trees in this section of the plantation forest,” Mr Pearson said. “A clear-fall operation is anticipated to start mid-February with harvested trees to be supplied to various markets. Once the area has been cleared options to replant sections of the compartment or allow pine regeneration to naturally colonise the site will be considered,” Mr Pearson said. It is anticipated the operation could be completed by mid to late April allowing for the reopening of the road through the harvested area. Once clearing operations commence the forest will be closed again, for short periods, while these activities occur. The eastern section of the forest, comprising younger pine trees may be thinned at the same time. This operation will depend on the salvageable product available. Since closing sections of the forest to the public Forestry Corporation has worked with permit holders and forest users to ensure access around the closed areas. To find out more about this operation see the Forestry Corporation - Closures and notices page.  Jobs
Buy and Sell
... and one to end the week on... a $1,000 dollar bet
The local bar was so sure its bartender was the strongest man around that they offered a standing $1,000 bet. And on that note, enjoy your weekend. Cheers.  Brand PartnersOur Partners & Sponsors Friday Offcuts is made possible through the generous support of the following companies.
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