Forestry Industry Inquiry a starting point for a coordinated national strategy

The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) has welcomed the release of the findings from the forestry industry inquiry and has urged the government to act on the report by working with industry to implement a national strategy.

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture, Resources, Fisheries and Forestry yesterday tabled its report on the Inquiry into the Australian forestry industry.

AFPA Chief Executive David Pollard said it was essential that a taskforce involving industry and government be established to ensure key recommendations are followed-through. A coordinated national strategy would also be able to pick up key recommendations from the recent Pulp and Paper Industry Strategy Group and current reviews into Australian manufacturing.

"AFPA welcomes a number of key recommendations from this inquiry which acknowledge the important role the industry can play in a renewable and sustainable economy," said Dr Pollard.

"The inquiry has identified the need to develop a plan for future plantation development that includes an effective investment mechanism for new plantations as well as the need to renew the Regional Forest Agreements to provide certainty of wood supply for the native forest sector.

"These measures will help underpin future investment and competitiveness and allow Australia to be more self-sufficient in wood and paper products. The industry also welcomes the report’s focus on the carbon positive opportunities which the industry can provide.

"These include encouraging better ways for the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) to support forestry activities, as well as improved national standards for quantifying the carbon stored in different wood products and their displacement of more energy intensive materials such as steel.

"AFPA strongly supports the recommendation that native forest biomass be recognised under the Renewable Energy Target (RET) scheme, given the lack of rationality behind the current proposal to discourage the utilisation of wood waste products for energy production."

ENDS