Australian timber industry news

The Federal Government’s decision to prioritise an Australian Carbon Credit Units Scheme proposal, which seeks to cease or defer native forest harvesting, has been described an underhanded attack on Tasmanian jobs. Source: Timberbiz Tasmania’s Minister for Business, Industry and Resources, Eric Abetz, says it is also a direct assault on the environment, ignoring research from the CSIRO’s retired chief research scientist as well as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Mr Abetz said that this “latest sneak raid must be called out for what it is”. “This is an attack on regional jobs here in Tasmania, plain and simple,” Mr Abetz said. Designed by the Australian National University (ANU) and NSW Government, the Improved Native Forest Management in Multiple-use Public Forests Method (INFM) would require native forestry to be ended across Australia including in Tasmania. However, despite being supported by the Federal Government, it has been revealed NSW undertook no consultation with the Tasmanian Government before it launched the plan. Tasmanian Forest Products Association Independent Chair, Sarah Courtney, said the model tries to force the Tasmanian Government to march in lockstep with the radical proposal by the NSW Government. “The model proposed by the NSW Government, and backed by the Federal Government, would see the end of sustainable native forestry in Tasmania” Ms Courtney said. “Our industry has bipartisan support in Tasmania. But this looks like another case of a mainland state trying to impose its opinions onto our island.” Ms Courtney said it was pleasing to see both Minister Abetz, and Federal Shadow Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Jonno Duniam, calling out the absurd hypocrisy in the model presented by the NSW and Federal governments. “Both the Tasmanian Government and Federal Opposition understand the importance of forestry for Tasmania’s regional communities,” Ms Courtney said “That’s why the TFPA is joining with them today to call on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to immediately dismiss this proposed model and show that the Federal Government supports Tasmania’s regional communities, and the thousands of people employed in our sustainable forestry sector.” Mr Abetz said he had written to Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins to express his disappointment. “And it is important to note that this is a direct assault on jobs in her very own electorate,” he said. “Wood is renewable, recyclable and at the end of the day bio-degradable and Tasmania’s forest practices are second to none in the world. “It’s how we get the timber and fibre we need to build houses, hospitals and schools while supporting communities and families across Tasmania. “If we don’t harvest the timber we need here, we have to import it from overseas at great expense and belching tonnes of bunker fuel fumes into the atmosphere in the process.” Mr Abetz said Tasmania would not support any carbon credit scheme proposal that undermined the value of its native forestry sector and put at risk local jobs in an attempt to placate extremist environmental groups. “We will continue to back in our forestry sector through our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future,” Mr Abetz said. Federal Shadow Minister for the Environment, Fisheries and Forestry, Jonno Duniam, accused the Federal Government of yet another attack on this industry. “Labor promised that native forestry jobs would be secure under their government, but now Chris Bowen and Julie Collins are using a backdoor way to shut it down. They need to be honest with businesses and workers engaged in native forestry to explain why they are abandoning them,” Senator Duniam said. “Timber workers deserve better than the Labor Government who are more interested in pandering to activists than looking after regional jobs. “The Albanese Government need to urgently scrap this process and, in doing so, recognise the importance of native forestry for our environment and our economy. If we can’t get our hardwood here, it will be imported from unsustainable sources that do not share our high environmental standards,” he said.  

In 1890, noted bushman and early explorer, Alfred Howitt, recounted his observations of the changing nature of eastern Victoria’s eucalypt forests to the Royal Society of Victoria. Source: ON LINE opinion He noted that prior to the mid-1860s, these forests had been regularly “burnt off by aborigines, either incidentally or intentionally. These annual bushfires tended to keep the forests open, and to prevent them from being overgrown, for they not only consumed much of the standing or fallen timber, but in a great measure destroyed the seedlings that had sprung up since former conflagrations”. In just 25 years, the beginnings of European settlement – including cattle and sheep grazing – had largely over-turned this delicate balance. Regular burning declined as indigenous communities were displaced and as the new settlers sought “to lessen and keep within bounds bushfires which might otherwise be very destructive to their improvements”. According to Howitt, the reduced annual burning allowed forests to quickly became choked with small trees and scrubby understories, thereby making them more flammable. When summer bushfires inevitably occurred, they burned with a greater and more damaging ferocity than before. Howitt’s observations of regularly fired and more open pre-European forests aligned with similar accounts from explorers and early settlers elsewhere in Australia. In 2011, the publication of Bill Gammage’s book, The Biggest Estate on Earth, strengthened a consensus that indigenous burning, in conjunction with fires naturally ignited by lightning, maintained most of Australia’s pre-European forests in a far more open and less flammable condition than they are today. There are exceptions to this general rule, such as the tall, ash-type eucalypt forests growing on the wettest parts of the southern ranges. They were reportedly just as dense prior to European settlement as they are today. Being inherently wet, they were far less affected by indigenous burning or lightning-ignited fires. However, they would periodically dry-out during prolonged droughts and could then burn with a ferocity that would generally kill most trees and stimulate a replacement regrowth event. Cognisant of such relatively minor exceptions, Australia’s land managers now widely accept that fire was far more prevalent in most of our forested landscapes during pre-European times, and that it was generally of moderate to low intensity because its frequency generally prevented the build-up of heavy fuel loads. After tens of thousands of years of indigenous occupancy, all but the wettest Australian forests and woodlands had become adapted to regular, relatively low impact fire. In southern Australia, the premise of approximating nature by maintaining low fuel loads has, since the 1950s, underpinned organised forest fire management based around fuel reduction burning undertaken during cooler seasons either side of summer. While these burns can replicate the low to moderate fuel state to which most forests and their ecology are naturally adapted, the necessity to control them due to neighbouring property and safety concerns makes it nigh-on impossible to match the full extent of annual pre-European burning. Despite this, if there is sufficient annually fuel reduced area, it can lessen the extent and environmental impact of most summer wildfires by both reducing their intensity and making them easier and quicker to control. In view of this, one would expect support for fuel reduction burning to be high amongst Australian ecologists, but recent public commentary by some academics suggests otherwise. For several years now, Lindenmayer and Zylstra, have strongly advocated the cessation of fuel reduction burning in lieu of leaving southern Australian forests unburnt indefinitely. According to their theory, long unburnt forests will naturally evolve into a low-flammable state, thereby removing the need for fuel reduction burning which they claim to be increasing, rather than mitigating, the bushfire threat. More recently, senior ecologist Don Driscoll has added his voice to the anti-fuel reduction burning chorus based on research purportedly showing that previously burnt forests suffer worse ecological impacts (compared to long unburnt forests) when subject to major wildfires. In a recent article on The Conversation website promoting this research, Driscoll noted that: “Clearly, fire management and policy needs a big rethink. Alternative approaches to large-scale prescribed burning are required”. Given that Driscoll’s research involved over 120 co-contributors, it may be reasonable to conclude that his views on fire management are widespread within the fraternity of ecology academics. The opposition to fuel reduction burning being led by some of these ecologists, represents an astounding denial of the historical record of past fire and how it has shaped Australia’s forested ecosystems. Furthermore, the published ecological research papers collectively advocating a no-burning fire management approach, displays a disturbing lack of practical understanding and experience of both fuel reduction burning and wildfire suppression, exemplified by misconceptions such as: Assuming that all forest types are targeted for fuel reduction burning when there are significant areas that are not targeted, such as, for example, the wet ash-type forests. An unjustifiable extrapolation of the fuel and fire characteristics of non-fuel reduced wet forests which rarely burn, to drier forest types that are naturally adapted to more frequent fire. A tendency to imply that there is no difference between the environmental impacts inflicted by unplanned summer bushfires under hot, dry conditions and those of planned low intensity burning undertaken in mild autumn or spring conditions. Condemning fuel reduction burning as being responsible for severe biodiversity impacts in the absence of any direct comparison against the biodiversity impacts associated with heavy fuel build-up in long unburnt forests, and especially after such forests have been subjected to a hot summer wildfire. A lauding of indigenous cultural burning over conventional fuel reduction burning without acknowledging that both methods are based on the same principle of using low intensity fire during cooler times of the year. A context-free faith in small scale indigenous cultural burning (Driscoll refers to it as ‘right-way burning’) as a superior alternative to conventional broadscale fuel reduction burning despite it being more responsive to the huge scale of Australia’s forests and the bushfire threat. Advocacy of a shift to a more streamlined ‘wildfire response only’ fire management regime based […]

The 2024 UK Forest Market Report, produced by BSW Group’s Tillhill Forestry and Goldcrest Land & Forestry Group, says the UK forestry market remains strong, driven by demand for high-quality assets, stable timber prices, wider natural capital projects and a positive medium-term outlook for wood being used as a substitute for high carbon materials. Source; Timberbiz Nevertheless, the report highlights species diversity as key to its success in the future. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the UK forestry sector, detailing key financial trends, regional insights and emerging investment opportunities. In 2024, £95.4 million of forestry was listed for sale in the UK, with Scotland continuing to dominate with a 79% market share. The volume of land available for sale in Scotland dropped by 40% to 1,600ha, as availability of land suitable for commercial forestry continued to tighten despite sustained demand. Pricing for land has stabilised, however, at around £10,000 per gross hectare. The construction industry is increasingly seeking more sustainable, low-carbon building materials as it moves towards a net-zero environment. With timber’s status as a low-carbon building material already well established, attention is turning to whether sufficient supplies will be available as building starts increase and demand grows, and if homegrown timber can step up to fill any gaps. Nevertheless, the report highlights species diversity as key to its success in the future. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the UK forestry sector, detailing key financial trends, regional insights and emerging investment opportunities. In 2024, £95.4 million of forestry was listed for sale in the UK, with Scotland continuing to dominate with a 79% market share. The volume of land available for sale in Scotland dropped by 40% to 1,600ha, as availability of land suitable for commercial forestry continued to tighten despite sustained demand. Pricing for land has stabilised, however, at around £10,000 per gross hectare. You can download the report here      

The Palisades, Eaton and Hurst wildfires in Southern California have destroyed more than 12,000 structures, raising the likelihood of a spike in demand for lumber in the months and years ahead. Source: Dow Jones The rebuilding process after events such as these “typically drives a significant demand for building materials, particularly lumber, given its foundational role in construction,” said Michael Goodman, director of finance and general counsel at building-materials wholesaler Sherwood Lumber. Demand for construction materials will “undoubtedly rise,” but the pace will depend on the “timeline for insurance assessments, debris removal, permitting and rebuilding efforts,” Goodman said. Historically, it can take several months for the full impact to hit the market, he said. The Southern California wildfires started on 7 January, and as of a week later, more than 12,300 structures had been destroyed, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Replacing 12,000 structures would require an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 truckloads of lumber, Goodman said. A 48-foot flatbed truck can haul 45,500 to 52,000 pounds of lumber, according to Union Pacific. The number of pounds per 1,000 board feet varies by tree species, but the Global Trade Network has figures ranging from 2,250 to 5,350 pounds per 1,000 board feet of freshly cut lumber. On the CME, lumber for March delivery (LBRH25) (LBR00) settled Tuesday at US$585 per 1,000 board feet. “Framing lumber and panels are critical pieces of the rebuilding puzzle,” said Greg Kuta, president and chief executive officer at lumber broker Westline Capital Strategies. “The biggest hurdle will be how quickly insurance and regulation can be cleared to begin the rebuild process, along with a finite labour pool to draw from within the home-building industry.” It may take “many months, if not years, to rebuild in a meaningful way, with critical infrastructure taking precedence over residential structures,” he said, adding that at some point, lumber prices will rally because of that demand to rebuild. Lumber prices based on the most active futures contract have climbed by more than 7% so far in the new year, already outpacing 2024’s modest 1.3% rise, according to Dow Jones Market Data. Prices, however, still trade far below their record intraday high of US$712 in August 2022. That year, the legacy lumber contract was delisted, and the current smaller contract was launched. Kuta said the reason lumber futures have gained 7% so far this year is because of the risk of additional tariffs being levied against Canadian and European lumber by the incoming Trump administration, not because of the Southern California wildfires. Donald Trump was quoted last week as saying that US has “massive fields of lumber” and does not need Canada’s lumber. The bottom line is that we need Canada’s vast and flowing “lumber fields” to supply our domestic housing needs, always have and always will said Greg Kuta, Westline Capital Strategies. Trump has said he would levy tariffs of 25% on imports of all goods from Mexico and Canada. That would be on top of duties already in place on Canadian lumber exports into U.S. markets and would make aggregate framing-lumber costs more expensive for the end consumer in 2025, Kuta said. “The bottom line is that we need Canada’s vast and flowing ‘lumber fields’ to supply our domestic housing needs always have and always will,” said Kuta, who also pointed out that lumber grows in forests, not fields. Any potential fire-related investment opportunities in the lumber market are “more long-term in nature,” Kuta said. “The real, sustainable reason for prices to move higher is demand driven, and that’s highly unlikely in [the first quarter of] 2025.” The 2018 Camp Fire in northern California’s Butte County resulted in a short-term spike in lumber prices, followed by a “stabilization period as rebuilding efforts got under way,” Goodman said. He pointed out that Southern California has unique building codes, including fire-resistance requirements that may influence material choices. That could lead to “diversified demand for engineered-wood products, siding and other specialized materials in addition to standard framing lumber,” he said. It’s still too early to know how much lumber will be needed to rebuild what has been destroyed by the Southern California fires, Kuta said, adding that the North American lumber market is still in an “oversupplied market situation, which has lingered since the end of the bull-market cycle in late 2022.” However, ongoing supply destruction among Canadian lumber producers over the last year, with a number of permanent mill shutdowns in British Columbia, has significantly narrowed the oversupply situation, he said. “We are much closer to supply/demand equilibrium heading into 2025,” said Kuta. Typically, the industry likes to procure lumber in the fourth quarter or the early part of the first quarter in anticipation of the spring building season, he said. Someone who needs lumber and can afford to buy and hold it is probably “incentivized to own the wood in anticipation of higher highs in lumber prices in 2025,” said Kuta. Seasonally and historically, lumber prices peak from mid-February into mid-March and typically bottom out around mid-October into mid-November, he said. The fires may push that seasonal price peak into mid- to late 2025, and the seasonal high could be pushed further out into this year as well, he said. Looking at the bigger picture for the lumber market, Kuta said, “if one believes that interest rates will gradually moderate lower, we as a nation [would still be] woefully underbuilt and in need of new residential housing.” Among the companies to consider are lumber providers Canfor Corp and West Fraser Timber and timberland company Weyerhaeuser, as well as building-material suppliers Builders FirstSource and Boise Cascade, said Kuta, who said he does not own any forestry-related or housing company stocks. Timing will become a bigger issue when organic housing demand does heat up, he said, with the question being whether that happens during the second quarter or third quarter of this year or if the “green shoots of demand wait until 2026 to surface.” There’s likely a “significant […]

JCB has cleared significant hurdles in its development of the world’s first hydrogen combustion engine after securing landmark rulings from licensing authorities allowing it to be used commercially in machines, the company announced. Source: Timberbiz JCB is the first construction equipment company to develop a fully working combustion engine fuelled by hydrogen and a team of 150 engineers has been working on the exciting £100 million development for over three years. The company confirmed that 11 licensing authorities across Europe have now given permission for JCB’s hydrogen engine to be sold across Europe with authorities in other countries set to follow suit with certification in 2025. This is a very significant moment for JCB. To start the New Year with certification in place in so many European countries bodes very well for the future of hydrogen combustion technology. “JCB has proved in recent years that it is a proper zero emissions solution for construction and agricultural equipment. This formal type approval/certification paves the way for the sale and use of hydrogen engines right across the UK and Europe. I couldn’t have hoped for a better start to the year. Most of all, I am delighted for our team of British engineers who have worked tirelessly to reach this stage,” Lord Bamford JCB Chairman said. JCB confirmed that the Netherlands’ Vehicle Authority RDW was the first licensing authority to issue official certification, giving permission for the engine to sold in The Netherlands. Other licensing bodies across Europe have followed RDW’s lead by issuing the necessary certification, including Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Germany, France, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Finland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein. Licensing authorities in other countries are set to follow with certification during 2025. JCB has already produced more than 130 evaluation engines which are powering backhoe loaders, Loadall telescopic handlers and generator sets. Real-world testing of JCB’s hydrogen equipment on customers’ sites is now at an advanced stage and progressing well.

A team of US researchers calculated that fully replacing conventional building materials in new infrastructure with CO2-storing alternatives could store as much as 16.6 billion tonnes of CO2 each year, roughly half of human-caused CO2 emissions in 2021. Source: Timberbiz These alternatives include mixing carbon aggregates in concrete or using bio-based materials in bricks. The Science Media Centre in New Zealand asked local experts to comment. Associate Professor David Dempsey, Department of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, University of Canterbury, comments: “This article concludes that by changing the types of materials we build with; we can help large amounts of carbon dioxide to be drawn out of the atmosphere. This process is called carbon removal. “The largest removal by far comes from a new kind of concrete that includes a special CO2-capturing aggregate like dunite rock, of which New Zealand has bountiful natural deposits in Nelson and Southland. “But this concrete capture would need to be paired with high purity atmospheric CO2, for which the best options in New Zealand would be the flue gas coming from a biomass boiler (we have a lot of these too). We’d also need to carefully check that the new concrete was just as strong and durable as existing uses. “Other removals described in the article come through clever substitution of forestry-derived materials. Again, New Zealand has natural advantages with our large forestry sector and the widespread use of timber in construction materials. “A few things would need to change for New Zealand to capitalise on this research. First, the government would need to change the rules to recognise carbon embodied in building materials, for instance by issuing NZUs under the emissions trading scheme. Second, we’d need to think carefully about just how long the CO2 is actually stored for and what happens to it once the building is torn down. If the CO2 is later released from the landfill, then this kind of storage is limited. “The amount of CO2 storage needed worldwide is daunting and so storage in building materials deserves to be on the table alongside approaches like geological storage, further forestry planting, and other nature-based solutions.” (Conflict of interest statement: “I receive funding from the NZ government to undertake research in carbon dioxide removal.”) Professor Suzannne Wilkinson, Faculty of Design & Creative Technologies, Auckland University of Technology, comments: “The construction industry is a conservative industry and therefore requires certainty before it will invest in new materials. Certification of products usually provides this certainty. However, the industry tends to make choices for material options mainly using criteria of cost, time, and quality, with safety as paramount, and environmental considerations important. “So, even if carbon sequestration using new materials is desired, there are obstacles which would prevent use. For instance, would the material cost more to procure? Does it require new training for staff? If so, it is unlikely to be preferred over traditional materials. Would it take more time to install or have a longer supply chain? Again, it would be hard to see a preference over traditional materials. Would quality be compromised? If there is a negative change in quality, then this impacts decision making. “Other than satisfying choice criteria, there are ways to achieve change, some of which (and these are not all) include: educate clients to ask for new certified materials, legislate for their use, or use tax or trade agreements to reduce costs.” Diego Elustondo, Scion Portfolio Leader, Trees to High-Value Wood Products, comments: “The premise of the paper is promising given the massive volume of infrastructure materials produced annually and their long lifespan in service or landfill, construction materials indeed offer substantial potential for carbon storage. “However, the paper’s assumptions about carbon storage capacity in various building materials appear to favour masonry materials at the expense of wood-based alternatives. The comparison between existing (wood-based) materials and those that do not exist at scale yet is unrealistic. To be accurate, a comparison would need to consider wood-based materials at the same stage of development as other future materials mentioned in the paper. “There is no substantial evidence to confirm these proposed modified non-renewable materials will be commercially available in the future, while wood-based alternatives have long been established as renewable building materials. Timber, for example, has a long history of proven performance, and its benefits as a carbon sink are well documented. “It is crucial to recognise trees are restored by nature, while other building materials are more likely to remain in landfills and the sites mined for minerals will not be restored. It is crucial to emphasise that the use of modified non-renewable building materials in combination with wood-based building materials that sequester carbon long term will help reduce the devastating effect of greenhouse gas emissions. “Scion’s research ensures wood-based materials increasingly contribute to sustainable buildings. Its Rotorua innovation hub, Te Whare Nui o Tuteata, demonstrates this. The timber structure is carbon-neutral, storing 418 tonnes of CO2 – equivalent for the life of the building – equivalent to the emissions from 160 people taking return flights from Auckland to London.” (Conflict of interest statement: “Diego’s Trees to High-Value Products portfolio at Scion focuses on promoting and facilitating the use of timber in building applications.”)

West Australians will be able to claim $150 “treebates” to plant native trees in their yards, as part of an ambitious promise by Labor to double Perth’s urban canopy by 2040. Source: Perth Now Announced by Environment Minister Reece Whitby in Middle Swan, a third term Cook Government would seek to plant a million trees by 2035, with rebate incentives to locals to buy natives from WA nurseries. Confessing the goal was “ambitious”, Mr Whitby said Labor was pursuing the targets because it was the right thing to do. “I think we can get there this program immediately scales up what we’ve been doing in the past, to an extraordinary level, and it gets everyone on the road to achieving that,” he said. Under the program, 10,000 West Aussies a year will be able claim a cash rebate on purchase of native trees from local nurseries of up to $150. Households with multiple people aged over 18 could claim for each person in the home, Mr Whitby said. “There’s a lot of good things about planting trees. It’s one of my favourite things to do as the environment minister,” he said. “It makes our suburbs and towns greener. It makes them cooler. It makes communities more liveable, a nicer place to live. “It’s better for wildlife, of course, it provides a habitat for our native species and insects and bird life, and it’s good for everyone’s mental health.” The Government would also invest $10 million in identifying urban land suitable for planting blocks of trees as part of the bid to reach the million-tree target within 10 years. It comes as Perth’s tree canopy, which sits at just 16% of metropolitan area, is ranked the worst for a capital city in Australia. Shadow environment minister Neil Thomson labelled the “treebates” a “pathetic gimmick”. “(This policy) is one of the worst examples of public spending I have seen in my long career in public service,” he said. “It cannot hide the failure of this government on declining tree canopy in Perth with its abysmal early response to the polyphagous shothole borer which now means we are destined to lose more canopy in our beautiful capital city.”

Scion in New Zealand has produced a ‘how-to’ guide for landowners, forest investors and government agencies that outlines the promising potential of short rotation forestry to supply feedstock for bioenergy production in New Zealand. Source: Timberbiz Growing trees dedicated for biofuel not only diversifies regional economies but also contributes to sustainable land management and helps New Zealand meet its net-zero emissions targets by 2050. Why it matters The forestry model provides an alternative investment option for landowners on lower value land (Land Use Capability Class 5-7). By 2035, 150,000 hectares of dedicated bioenergy forest could displace 3 million tonnes CO2-e emissions per year. A two-year research project has identified the opportunities for regional New Zealand to adopt short rotation forestry (SRF) for bioenergy production. Scion’s modelling shows that short rotation forestry as a feedstock for bioenergy has the potential to replace 6% of New Zealand’s annual fossil fuel demand from less than 1% of the land area. This finding reinforces the feasibility of scaling up bioenergy production from forests, particularly in regions well-suited for short rotation forestry including the Central North Island, Northland, the East Coast, and Otago. These areas offer ideal conditions for SRF on lower-value land (Land Use Capability Class 5-7), where transport distances to processing locations can be minimised. Pinus radiata, known for its rapid growth and adaptability, is identified as the ideal species for SRF, with Eucalyptus fastigata and Eucalyptus regnans also showing promise for high biomass yields. These species are planted in dense stands and managed to optimise wood production for renewable energy, such as wood pellets, torrefied briquettes, or liquid biofuels for the marine and aviation sectors. SRF cycles, ranging from 12 to 18 years, are significantly shorter than the conventional 28-year harvesting cycles, providing a steady supply of biomass and contributing to greenhouse gas reduction by displacing fossil fuels and promoting carbon sequestration. Scion is developing forest bioenergy trials with the Ministry for Primary Industries to validate the theoretical findings.

Nothing gives Glencoe Nursery’s Vicki Thiele more satisfaction than seeing the full plantation timber cycle in action – the tiny seedlings she once tended decades ago become fully grown trees, then transforming into timber for the houses of today. Source: Timberbiz Once what was ‘just a casual job’ has evolved into an accidental career for Ms Thiele. Just 16 years old when she showed up for her first day’s seasonal work at the Glencoe Nursery, four decades later, Ms Thiele has risen up the ranks to become the facility’s Production Supervisor. “This job has been my whole working life,” she said, walking across a field of new seedlings,” she said. “What I love about this job is I’ve got the pleasure of being in and out. I’m nearly 57, but I don’t think I’d ever do an inside job. I do a little bit of office work but when I choose, I can go outside.” Experience in virtually every job and activity possible at the nursery, from cutting and setting to long days mowing and spraying on the tractor, has paid dividends when it comes to her supervisory role. “For me, I’m the sort of person who has to have an understanding of that job,” Ms Thiele said. “I think it’s really important because when all the crew come in and I supervise them, that I’ve done that job, and I know how hard it is. So, I like the fact that I’ve got that behind me to guide everyone.” Above all, Ms Thiele said she feels that experience is valued by the nursery crew and wider OneFortyOne team. “Because at the end of the day, I haven’t got a certificate – I’m not a forester, but I have got the experience. And you earn that, I think, as the years go on. No university degree is going to give you that.” Throughout Ms Thiele time, the two biggest workplace changes have been in safety and technology, with the nursery undergoing a major $8m upgrade over the last few years. The brand new undercover automated handling line, installed in 2024, has revolutionised the role of workers, streamlining processes, placing their work at bench height and also, giving them shelter from the cold winters and hot dry summers. When Ms Thiele first started, in the years before Personal Protective Equipment was required, she recalled the nursery crew were at the mercy of the Limestone Coast’s infamous weather conditions. “Wet weather gear is never foolproof,” Ms Thiele said with a laugh. “So, you’d be in all your overalls, your jacket, your gloves and your hat. But sometimes you’d come back in for smoko and your bras and your knickers were drenched!” Although Ms Thiele said a day in the fields was once preferrable to a day working undercover, crew universally agree the major advances in safety and technology at the site are a positive change. “It’s one hundred percent for the better when it comes to safety,” she said. Despite periods of time away from the nursery, to have children and look at other jobs, Ms Thiele said the relaxed nursery environment kept calling her back. “There were plenty of jobs out there, but I kept coming back here, so I must’ve enjoyed it,” Ms Thiele said. Constant advances in technology means output has increased dramatically, from 3,000-6,000 cuttings annually in the 1980s, up to a current total of 1.2million for OneFortyOne, plus an additional 800,000 for contractors. Statistics aside, Ms Thiele said a sense of pride is always behind the nursery team’s work. “It’s the pleasure of seeing a little seed, when you first sow them and you’re waiting every day checking to see if they’ve actually come out of the ground. “As soon as they pop their heads up, then you get to watch them grow. “It’s a good feeling that nine months later you are seeing them leave the nursery as a tree that’s going to get planted out into the bush.” Come September, when the season finishes and the work slows, the 40-plus crew dwindles down to just a handful. A good day at the nursery, Ms Thiele said, is when the team have worked together to send the best possible product out the gate. “For me, it’s getting my jobs done, to a good level and walking out feeling I’ve accomplished what I needed to do,” she said. “Feeling like I’ve put in a good day’s work.”

When Jean Margerie arrived at Techlam’s Levin factory from France, he brought more than just his engineering expertise, he represented a unique collaboration between New Zealand’s wood industry and European technical education. Source: Timberbiz The partnership, connecting Techlam with New Zealand’s forest research institute Scion and France’s prestigious engineering school ENSAM, began with a straightforward goal: improving quality control for glulam beam production. What emerged was a story of cross-cultural exchange and technical innovation. “It’s not often students get to work between research and industry,” Mr Margerie said, describing his split time between Techlam’s factory floor and Scion’s research facilities. “The first impressions were overwhelming, but the constant support from both Scion and Techlam teams made all the difference.” Mr Margerie’s background made him particularly suited for the role. Having visited more than 20 countries with his teacher parents when he was younger, he developed an adaptability that proved valuable in New Zealand’s wood industry – an environment quite different from his European experience. At Techlam, Mr Margerie’s primary focus was refining the company’s quality assessment methods. He spearheaded the implementation of a non-destructive testing device that could evaluate glulam beam stiffness without compromising structural integrity. The system allows technicians to assess beam strength more efficiently while maintaining production quality. His work extended to the factory floor, where he conducted a comprehensive two-month analysis of production workflows. Working alongside manufacturing teams, Jean mapped out each step of the glulam manufacturing process, identifying bottlenecks and suggesting improvements to enhance consistency. The research component of his role at Scion proved equally substantial. Jean devoted significant time to investigating hybrid beam technology, exploring how incorporating exotic woods and carbon fibres could enhance beam performance. This research aimed to push the boundaries of traditional glulam capabilities while maintaining practical manufacturing feasibility. “Each day brought different challenges,” Mr Margerie explained. “One day I might be calibrating testing equipment, the next analysing production data, and the next running laboratory tests at Scion. This mix of practical and research work helped me grow my skillset tremendously.” In Europe, the building industry doesn’t rely as much on wood, or rather in a different way Mr Margerie noted, highlighting a key difference between the regions. This observation carries weight, considering New Zealand’s significant forestry sector. According to the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries, the industry generated around NZ$6.6 billion of annual gross income in the recent years, with volumes expected to be high for the decade (to 2030) as forests planted in the past are now reaching maturity. ENSAM’s reputation for excellence in engineering education played a crucial role in the success of this international partnership. The institution’s approach goes beyond theoretical knowledge, emphasising practical problem-solving and project leadership skills that translate directly to industry needs. Brett Hamilton, Techlam’s Managing Director, has been particularly impressed with this practical focus: “Jean’s ability to combine theoretical knowledge with practical problem-solving has brought a new dimension to our operations.” Having completed his internship, Mr Margerie is now finishing a full-time position at Techlam. When asked about his long-term plans, he sees part of his future in New Zealand. “I could easily see myself here for quite a few years,” he said, though he added with a laugh, “but I do miss proper French cheese.” His openness to staying in New Zealand reflects both the opportunities he sees in the country’s wood industry and the welcoming environment he’s found since arriving. For Techlam, the collaboration with Scion and ENSAM represents an investment in both innovation and the future of engineered wood technology. As New Zealand’s engineered timber industry continues its rapid growth, partnerships like these may become increasingly important for bridging global expertise and local innovation.

The Australian Government says it is committed to ensuring illegally logged material is not incorporated into Australian wood products. The arrangements commencing on 3 March 2025 represent an opportunity for government, industry and end users of wood products to have greater confidence in the source and supply of timber. Source: Timberbiz This will provide greater confidence to the Australian public of the strong collective commitment of all parts of the Australian supply chain to responsible forestry practices. The Illegal Logging Prohibition Amendment Act 2024 (Amendment Act) and associated Illegal Logging Prohibition Rules 2024 (the Rules) were finalised in December 2024 and will come into effect on 3 March 2025. These new legal requirements will involve changes to internal processes and the government says it remains committed to supporting compliance within the regulated community with clear and accessible guidance. For the first six months of the Rules being in effect (from 3 March 2025 – early September 2025), there will be audits as usual, but the focus will be on education and guidance for non-compliance matters relating to the application of new/changed due diligence arrangements. There may be further action for non-compliance matters where warranted, consistent with the compliance policy. Aspects of due diligence requirements will change on 3 March 2025. Until then, existing requirements remain in place. More information on what will happen from 3 March 2025 is available in the Navigating New Rules: Transitioning to new arrangements factsheet. There are also two digital kits (‘digikits’) with resources and information for representative groups to distribute amongst their networks. If you would like to receive the digikits email illegallogging@aff.gov.au Further guidance material will be available ahead of 3 March 2025 to assist in meeting due diligence requirements. There will be an opportunity to provide feedback during the first six months of the updated legislation, to ensure our guidance is fit-for-purpose. At all times the guidance will remain aligned to the legislation and the intent of the legislation. Further information on the changes coming into effect under the Amendment Act and Rules is available in E-update 49.

Australian Panels is proud to contribute to an innovative collaboration with The University of Queensland (UQ) on a transformative project aimed at creating sustainable and affordable prefabricated temporary housing systems. Source: Timberbiz This visionary initiative breathes new life into recovered waste cardboard and under-utilised timber from Northern New South Wales, crafting a timely solution for emergency housing. It’s a remarkable fusion of ingenuity, speed, and environmental mindfulness. This project seeks to redefine how temporary housing is conceptualized and constructed. It revolves around the creation of timber-cardboard sandwich panels, a revolutionary structural composite made primarily of recovered waste cardboard and under-utilised timber. These materials, readily available in Northern New South Wales, are transformed into components that outperform conventional foam-core insulated panels by 30% in structural efficiency. Beyond their technical benefits, these panels exemplify a commitment to sustainability, promoting the use of renewable and recycled materials in temporary housing construction. The project also supports the development of new and expanded regional manufacturing capabilities, fostering growth in bio-based modular housing systems. The 2022 floods in Lismore, on the NSW North Coast, served as a stark reminder of the devastating impact natural disasters can have on communities. Thousands of residents were displaced, many of whom waited months for suitable shelter due to the lack of high-quality, rapid-deployment housing solutions. The increasing frequency and intensity of such disasters, driven by climate change, has heightened the urgency for adaptable, durable, and sustainable temporary housing solutions. This initiative directly addresses this challenge by creating a model that prioritises speed, comfort, and resilience. By using locally sourced materials, the project reduces reliance on complex logistics and transportation, enabling quicker assembly and lower costs. This not only accelerates the recovery process for disaster-stricken communities but also supports regional economies. Moreover, the system’s innovative design demonstrates how materials often considered waste can be transformed into high-performing building components that meet modern housing standards. Integral to this groundbreaking project are two standout products from Australian Panels: STRUCTAflor Ultimate (R-Flor) and easycraft VJ100. STRUCTAflor Ultimate, equipped with cutting-edge radiant barrier technology, was specifically chosen for its moisture vapor retarding effect, thanks to the perforated aluminium foil layer. This feature is crucial as it provides protection to the particleboard flooring and floor coverings by reducing the ability of moisture from the subfloor area to enter the structure, making it ideal for installation in damp areas. Other key benefits of STRUCTAflor Ultimate include: Reducing the potential for mould growth on the underside of the flooring. Enhancing the overall System R values (thermal insulation). BAL 29 fire rating compliance, adding a layer of fire protection. Meanwhile, easycraft VJ100 combines aesthetic finesse with unmatched durability, contributing to the visual and structural integrity of the temporary housing units. The culmination of this initiative is a full-scale prototype, a tangible embodiment of the project’s goals. Weatherproof, safe, and remarkably comfortable, this temporary home redefines how recycled materials can serve humanity. During a public showcase at Southern Cross University in Lismore, visitors explored the house, touching its features, asking questions about the technologies used, and sharing overwhelmingly positive feedback. Minister Jihad Dib, NSW Minister for Emergency Services, visited the site along with Benjamin Roche, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Education Impact) at SCU, and Andrew Hurford, owner of Hurford Wholesale and a key project partner. Their presence underscored the importance of this innovation in disaster response. This project is more than a technical achievement; it is a triumph of collaboration. It brings together expertise from government, research, and industry partners, representing every stage of the value chain from forest resources to wood products and final building applications. Funded by the NSW Decarbonisation Innovation Hub and Land and Primary Industries Network, this seed initiative is a testament to how cross-sector partnerships can foster radically new approaches to resource-efficient building design. The result is a low-carbon, sustainable, and scalable delivery model perfectly suited for post-disaster temporary housing. This collaboration sets a new benchmark in sustainable construction, turning waste into opportunity and challenges into triumphs. By significantly increasing the capacity to use renewable and recycled materials, the project not only addresses immediate housing needs but also paves the way for expanded regional manufacturing in bio-based modular housing systems.  

Timbeter, an AI-powered digital timber measurement solution provider, has started collaboration with Polish State Forest (PGL LP) to support the forestry operations. A project that is transforming the whole timber industry in Poland is being carried out in Regional Directorates in Piła and Poznań. Source: Timberbiz The initiative aims to integrate Timbeter’s digital measurement solutions into everyday forestry operations. The project’s goals include reducing the workload of foresters, simplifying timber measurement processes, and enhancing objectivity of results. This transition will also provide additional insights for stakeholders, from contractors to timber purchasers, enabling better decision-making and operational efficiency. The first stage of the project, which was until the end of December 2024, focused on the integration and use of Timbeter’s technology across approximately 100 forestry units within 14 districts of Piła and Poznań. This phase involved comprehensive organizational, technical, and formal preparations, ensuring readiness for the full-scale rollout scheduled for 2025. Timbeter licenses were distributed to foresters, technical support teams, and educators, facilitating the measurement of up to 700,000 cubic meters of timber during the pilot phase. Timbeter’s innovative solution utilizes AI and photo-optical technology to measure timber stacks accurately. By seamlessly integrating with the State Forests’ Leśnik+ system, the software ensures data synchronization and minimizes errors. The adoption of this technology is expected to increase measurement efficiency by 10–30% and reduce manual workload, freeing foresters to focus on higher-value tasks. The State Forests have tested photo-optical measurement methods since 2012. Timbeter was selected for its proven compatibility with existing systems and rigorous testing compliance. As a result, Timbeter was selected as a solution that meets the requirements of the Polish State Forest. “We are thrilled to collaborate with Poland’s State Forests on this transformative journey,” said Anna-Greta Tsahkna, CEO at Timbeter. “This partnership highlights our commitment to advancing sustainable and efficient forestry practices.” Timbeter is a provider of digital timber measurement solutions, leveraging innovative technologies to enhance accuracy, efficiency, and sustainability in forestry operations worldwide. The company’s software uses AI, photo-optical analysis and machine learning to measure timber quickly and precisely, offering seamless integration with existing forestry management systems. Timbeter serves a diverse global client base, including state forestry organizations, private timber companies, and NGOs in more than 30 countries.

On 7 January, the new Construction Products Regulation entered into force in Europe. The new Regulation modernises the rules from 2011, makes it easier to sell construction products across the EU Single Market, supports innovative construction techniques and enhances the sector’s competitiveness and sustainability. Source: Timberbiz In particular, the new rules mark an important step in digitalising the construction sector. Digital Product Passports will provide all information on construction products, including the declaration of performance and conformity, safety information and instructions for use. This will also enable to calculate an entire building’s carbon footprint reliably. The new Construction Products Regulation is a gamechanger for the construction sector. It helps builders, architects, engineers, consumers and public authorities to make the right choices based on the performance and sustainability of construction products. The new Regulation will strengthen competitiveness and productivity of the construction sector. It will allow the EU to champion innovative and sustainable techniques including prefabricated or modular elements such as façade systems. Increasing the use of offsite construction methods will reduce costs and accelerate the delivery of much-needed housing, both newly built and renovated. Such technologies can lead to a 10-15% reduction in construction waste during the production and manufacturing phases. Additionally, prefabricated units can be disassembled and reconfigured for repurposing at the end of their life cycle, further enhancing sustainability benefits.

The tragic wildfires in Los Angeles have reignited national discussions about forest management, wildland firefighting, smoke pollution, and water. Although these urban fires are not traditional forest fires, they underscore the critical need for effective vegetation management and robust water infrastructure and availability. Source: Timberbiz Wildfires require three elements: fuel, oxygen, and heat. While weather conditions and oxygen levels are beyond human control, managing the available fuel such as overgrown vegetation is within our capabilities. Proactively reducing excess vegetation through methods like forest thinning and creating fuel breaks can significantly mitigate wildfire risks. These measures not only slow the spread of fires but also provide firefighters with safer and more effective opportunities to protect lives, homes, wildlife habitats, and water resources. President-elect Donald Trump has criticized California’s forest management practices and water policies, suggesting decades of mismanagement have contributed to the severity of the fires. California Governor Newsom has defended his administration, emphasizing the state’s investments in firefighting and vegetation management. Critics, however, point to onerous environmental regulations and bureaucracy that have stymied efforts to increase the pace and scale of fuels reduction. They also say recent budget cuts have affected fire prevention programs, potentially exacerbating wildfire risks. The Los Angeles fires highlighted challenges in water supply during emergencies. In Pacific Palisades, for instance, fire hydrants ran dry as the local water system was overwhelmed by the demands of firefighting efforts. Beyond fire prevention, active forest management plays a significant role in water conservation. Overgrown forests consume substantial amounts of water, reducing availability for aquifers and downstream flows. The resulting wildfires can devastate watersheds and aquatic resources. Researchers have found that over the period 1990 to 2008, fire-thinned forests saved 3.7 billion gallons of water annually in California’s Kings River Basin and a whopping 17 billion gallons of water annually in the American River Basin — water that would otherwise have been lost through evapotranspiration. These results illustrate that restoring forests through mechanical thinning or wildfire can also save California billions of gallons of water each year. Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive policy reforms. The bipartisan “Fix Our Forests Act,” passed by the US House of Representatives last year, aims to enhance forest health and resilience by expediting environmental analyses, reducing frivolous anti-forestry lawsuits, and increasing the pace and scale of forest restoration projects. This legislation reflects a growing consensus on the need for active forest management to mitigate wildfire risks and protect vital water resources. The Los Angeles wildfires serve as a stark reminder of the inter-connectedness of wildfire management, vegetation control, and water policy. Proactive measures in forest and vegetation management are solutions not only for reducing wildfire risks but also for ensuring adequate water supply. This is why the federal government should continue its intense national discussions on these issues, and act quickly to mitigate future disasters.

New polling has revealed an under-the-radar issue which could swing voters in vital key seats that both sides must either retain or are looking to win. Source: News.com.au Support to end native forest logging could emerge as a key issue in five battleground seats, as Labor’s Nature Positive laws remain stuck in the Senate. Pyxis polling commissioned by the Australian Conservation and Biodiversity Foundation found support to end the logging of native forests, which means logging would be limited to plantations, was widely supported in the three seats Labor must hold onto to maintain majority government. This included bellwether seat Eden Monaro (60% of voters) in southeastern NSW and Richmond (72%), which takes in Tweed Heads, Byron Bay and Murwillumbah in the state’s north. The issue is particularly pertinent in Tasmania, where Labor and the Coalition will fight to win Lyons, which is currently held by Labor of a wafer-thin 0.9% margin. While Tasmania accounts for 40% of native forest log volume, polling said 58% of voters in Lyons supported an end to the practice. New polling revealed the majority of voters in five key electorates supported ending logging in native forests. ACBF executive director Lyndon Schneiders urged the major political parties to take note of the polling and said policies on native forest logging could “shape the outcome of a knife-edge election”. “There’s a clear message to all candidates and parties here: Voters want the Australian government to invest in our plantation timber industry to help build the homes we need to end the housing crisis while also funding more jobs in forest management, including protection against catastrophic bushfires,” he said. While the practice is already banned in Victoria and Western Australia, Mr Schneiders said native forest logging was not only an “economic and environmental failure,” but also restricted Australia’s ability to reduce carbon emissions. “Logging our native forests places further pressure on endangered species including the Koala, the Swift Parrot and the Greater Glider,” he said. “Logging releases greenhouse gas emissions and overwhelmingly (by 76%) ends up in low value products including woodchips.” Despite backing down on demands for a climate trigger, the Greens have demanded the removal of Regional Forest Agreement exemptions in order to guarantee passage of Labor’s three Nature Positive bills. The exemptions bypass national laws and allow logging to continue despite national environmental laws and apply to 10 specific commercial native forestry regions. Although Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has said she is in favour of more regulations on native forest logging, given its impact on endangered wildlife, she does not support ending the industry. While the Greens claim they had reached a deal through negotiations with Ms Plibersek, the Bills remain stalled following an 11th hour intervention from Anthony Albanese, which the Prime Minister denies. However, it’s understood the reported deal also did not include changes to the exemptions. The stalled legislation designed to create a national environmental protection authority, implement tougher penalties and enforcement measures. Ms Plibersek said she remained committed to passing the Nature Positive Bills, which she noted have languished in the Senate since August. “As part of our Nature Positive Plan, native forest logging with be regulated by national environment laws for the first time ever, through National Environmental Standards,” she said. “We are committed to reforming Australia’s broken environmental laws. They don’t protect our environment, and they don’t work for business.” Greens environment spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said it was evident an “overwhelming majority of voters want to close the loopholes that allow our native forests to be logged and bulldozed”. “When Parliament returns in February the Prime Minister will have a choice: work with the Greens to protect our forests, or ram through his government’s laws that allow the logging of critical habitat to continue with Peter Dutton,” she said. “We can end these logging loopholes before the election if the PM is constructive and willing to protect the environment. I urge the PM to respect public opinion and protect the environment instead of selling out to the logging and mining lobby.” The Coalition’s environment spokesman Jono Duniam said calls to transition native forestry to plantations were “impractical and unrealistic,” and would not supply the amount of hardwood required. He added ending native forestry in Australia could have unintended consequences which would result in the industry increasing in countries with “far weaker environmental laws, standards and regulations than ours”. “Ending native forestry in Australia would be completely self-defeating and counter-productive, even for the most ardent environmentalist,” he said.

A new booklet ‘Common Insect Pests and Diseases of New Zealand Native Plants’ is now available. New Zealand’s native species have a range of insect pests and diseases associated with them, many of which are native, common and not known to cause significant damage. Source: Timberbiz This booklet can be used to help educate people about plant diseases allowing them to broadly identify what insect pests and diseases they may come across in their whenua. It can also help readers separate those common diseases from potentially new diseases that could become damaging to native trees such as myrtle rust or kauri dieback. Each insect pest and pathogen is described in detail with large photographs to make identification easy. A full glossary, including Māori and scientific names of the insect pests, diseases, and host plants is included. The booklet came about from Te Rātā Whakamaru, a Jobs for Nature funded program. This project was a collaboration between Scion, Rotoiti 15 trust and the Department of Conservation. The program was tasked with creating jobs that supported nature. Te Rātā Whakamaru established roles for surveying and monitoring myrtle rust in the Bay of Plenty area. Additionally, the project sought to identify possible disease-resistant ramarama and rōhutu plants for the propagation of resistant planting material. While the Te Rātā Whakamaru team learned how to identify myrtle rust and the host plants it is associated with, they encountered other pests and diseases on native trees. This prompted the development of this field-orientated booklet to educate not only the Te Rātā Whakamaru team, but others interested in the health of native plants, including forest owners, managers, regional councils, botanic gardens, restoration planting contractors and kura. Unlike myrtle rust, which is an invasive pathogen that is devastating many of our native Myrtaceae, most of our common insect pests and diseases are endemic and rarely cause widespread damage on our native plants. The booklet is available to download or contact Scion’s Kiryn Dobbie to enquire about a hardcopy. With the aid of this new booklet, if you suspect a new disease or pest, report it to the Ministry of Primary Industries immediately on 0800 80 99 66 or at https://report.mpi.govt.nz/pest

A King Island man has been fined $90,000 for bulldozing native vegetation, including threatened native forest and a wetland, without any approvals. Source: Pulse Tasmania Alan Robert Smith faced nine charges in the King Island Magistrates Court under the Forest Practices Act earlier this month. They included unauthorised clearing of trees, including the King Island Scrub complex, clearance and conversion of threatened native vegetation communities and failing to comply with a notice to cease forest practices. The Forest Practices Authority (FPA) launched an “extensive and complex” investigation into the property after discovering the alleged illegal clearing. Acting Chief Forest Practices Officer Willem Mulder said Smith continued clearing activities despite the FPA issuing a formal request to stop the operations. “The forest practices system provides a process for identifying and considering environmental and other sensitive values through a certified forest practices plan,” he said. “Clearance and conversion of threatened native vegetation communities is not normally permitted under the system. “This unlawful land clearing would have been avoided if the forest practices process had been followed.”

The Housing Industry Association (HIA) is urging the government to hit pause on the proposed Free TAFE Bill 2024. While the initiative promises to address critical skills shortages, HIA believes the plan needs a comprehensive review before it’s locked into law. Source: Timberbiz “We absolutely support making vocational education more accessible but rushing this legislation risks turning a good idea into an ineffective policy,” said Geordan Murray, HIA Executive Director – Future Workforce. “It is vital that we base decisions on evidence, not just good intentions. The stakes for the building industry and the broader economy are simply too high.” HIA’s submission to the inquiry raises key questions about how the scheme will work in practice. “Among the many concerns is the need to evaluate the current Fee-free TAFE initiative before it’s formalised. Without clear data on what is working and what isn’t the program could fail to deliver its full potential,” Mr Murray said. “During the time that the Fee-free TAFE scheme has been operating the number of apprentices and trainees in the construction industry has declined. It doesn’t appear that the scheme is doing enough to boost participation. “Another critical issue is fairness, HIA has always argued that private and industry-based training providers must be given equal access to funding alongside public TAFEs.” Mr Murray said that Australia’s vocational education system was built on diversity, restricting private providers not only limited student choice but also risked leaving gaps in the training landscape. “Transparency is also a sticking point for HIA, we are calling for the legislation to include provisions for timely data collection and reporting, ensuring the program can be objectively assessed over time. This is essential for fine-tuning the scheme to meet the country’s evolving workforce needs,” he said. “While the government’s target of 100,000 Fee-free TAFE places is a positive start, we question whether it goes far enough. “This number might sound impressive, but in the context of our skills crisis, it is just not enough. We need to think bigger, the demand for skilled workers in construction and other industries is overwhelming. “The government should also consider the broader financial challenges that students face, course fees are just one part of the equation. Travel costs, tools, and equipment are all barriers that need to be addressed if we are serious about boosting participation in training,” he said. “HIA remains committed to working constructively with the government to ensure the vocational education and training system meets the needs of Australia’s workforce. But this legislation needs to be done right. “Our industry is at a critical juncture, we need bold, well-thought-out holistic solutions. Fee-free TAFE has the potential to make a real difference, but only if it is backed by careful planning and robust support,” Mr Murray said.  

The peak state body for the forest and timber industry in Queensland has raised major concerns with the announcement by the Australian Government of a proposed new carbon method known as the Improved Native Forest Management in Multiple-use Public Forests. Source: Timberbiz “This proposed method raises far more questions than answers for addressing long term climate mitigation and the integrity of the carbon credits intended to be generated,” Timber Queensland CEO Mick Stephens said. The method is at odds with the high-level principle identified in the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 4th assessment report that states: In the long term, a sustainable forest management strategy aimed at maintaining or increasing forest carbon stocks, while producing an annual sustained yield of timber, fibre or energy from the forest, will generate the largest sustained mitigation benefit. “The proposed method suggests that by simply ceasing sustainable timber harvesting in public multiple-use forests you can generate additional long-term abatement compared to the counterfactual of continued harvesting and storage of carbon in regrowing forests and harvested wood products,” Mr Stephens said. “This is in direct contrast to many life cycle analyses of managed forests with sustainable timber harvesting, which show long-term sustained carbon benefits when the substitution of steel and concrete in the built environment is included along with carbon stored in forests and harvested wood products,” he said. “The method fails on multiple accounts to meet the very principles Minister Bowen set out following the recent Chubb review into the land-based carbon sequestration market.” These failures include: a high likelihood of perverse carbon mitigation outcomes; a risk of wasting millions of taxpayer dollars on dodgy credits; adverse economic and social outcomes for the native forestry industry if implemented; disregard for a growing body of Australian and international research supporting the longer-term carbon benefits from actively managing native forests with the inclusion of sustainable timber harvesting; and a lack of transparency and public disclosure on the proposed method and assessment process used by the Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee (ERAC).