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Private Forests Tasmania is inviting all stakeholders and community members to contribute their valuable feedback on its newly drafted 2026-2028 strategic plan. Source: Timberbiz Following extensive engagement with stakeholders across Tasmania, CEO Elizabeth Pietrzykowski said the plan had been endorsed by PFT’s Board of Directors, marking a crucial milestone in PFT’s commitment to sustainable forest management into the future. “Your feedback is instrumental in ensuring that PFT’s strategic plan reflects the diverse perspectives and priorities within the Tasmanian private forestry, including farm forestry, sector,” she said. “Whether you are involved in plantation forestry, actively manage your native forests, farm forestry, industry, or simply passionate about Tasmania’s natural environment, we encourage you to review the plan and share your thoughts. “Input will help PFT refine its projects and shape a future where Tasmania’s forests thrive sustainably, benefiting both our community, economy and environment. “Thank you for your continued support and engagement in this important process.” To participate, please email your feedback to admin@pft.tas.gov.au before 5pm on Friday, 14 March 2025.

Forest & Wood Communities Australia is calling on the New South Wales Government to postpone any decision on the proposed Great Koala National Park until reliable and accurate data on koala populations can be verified. Source: Timberbiz According to Executive Officer Steve Dobbyns, a veteran forest scientist, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has managed to let down both the Premier Mr Minns and communities across the State by grossly exaggerating the number of koalas within some “koala hubs” by using a count of scats (koala poo) found during surveys, instead of actual koalas. “A look under the hood at the data shows that numerous koala sightings within the koala hubs have impossibly high numbers of koalas, literally hundreds of koalas recorded at a single site, because the Department has not vetted the data,” said Mr Dobbyns. “That is the quality of maths and science being used by the Department to provide advice to the Minn’s Government about which areas of the proposed Great 1414 National Park are important to koalas.” While the NSW Government described koala hubs as “areas where there is strong evidence of multi-generational, high-density populations” of koalas, FWCA notes there is no published, peer-reviewed research to support these claims. FWCA has also identified multiple data entries of the same koala sighting and questioned how the Department could determine if some of the koala hubs had “strong evidence of multi-generational” koala populations. “Despite koala sightings across the landscape dating back almost a century, the only records of koalas in some of the hubs were from the same point in time. There is no evidence of multi-generational use,” said Mr Dobbyns. “With more than 8900 jobs and $2.9 billion injected into our economy each year from our sustainable native forest industry in NSW, it is critical for our State’s future prosperity that the Minns Government makes its decision on the Great Koala National Park based on credible, up to date information.”

Master Builders Australia has launched its Federal Election campaign, putting all parties and independents on notice to stop the talk and deliver real action to end the housing crisis. Source: Timberbiz The campaign, More Homes For Aussies, is focused on the key areas that will ensure there is enough housing supply and supporting infrastructure right across the housing spectrum: social and affordable housing, private rentals and owner-occupiers. The housing crisis is the number one specific election issue that voters expect to be solved this election. As well as investment in more housing supply, we need to see more action on reducing supply barriers. Independent research by Insightfully found 1 in 4 say housing is the most important issue for them and 7 in 10 Australians say the Federal Government has not done enough. Master Builders’ election platform lays out a clear guide on federal policies that will alleviate the housing crisis and warns against policies that will make it worse. With more than 445,000 building and construction businesses, representing 1.35 million workers, the industry is ready to get shovels in the ground. What the industry needs More skilled people to get the job done A migration system that works Greater focus on critical infrastructure A strong, growing economy Concrete action to ensure there’s enough social, community, rental and owner-occupier housing New laws to prevent and combat illegality within construction unions Workplace laws that work for small business Keeping workplaces safe Building roads, rail, hospitals and schools to support growing communities More resources to enforce existing laws to get rid of bad players in the industry A tax system that supports innovation, investment and productivity for businesses Investing in future building technologies and sustainability   What the industry doesn’t need Changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax that reduces the number of new homes built and drives up rent Anti-business industrial relations laws that strangle businesses and increase costs Building regulation laws that ignore practical impacts and have inadequate implementation timeframes A narrow focus on TAFE at the exclusion of industry-led Registered Training Organisations Increase red tape small and family businesses Payment models that don’t work in practice   “We know a lack of supply is causing the housing crisis. While it’s been decades in the making, Australians rightfully expect it to be solved today,” Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn said. “What kind of Australia are we building if we can’t even provide adequate housing options for people now? “The building and construction industry is central to ensure there’s more homes for Aussies but until political parties step up and put their words into action we will continue to be hamstrung.” Ms Wawn said builders and tradies were frustrated. “We can’t keep tinkering at the edges, focusing on demand levers that do nothing to solve the problem, and dragging our feet on delivering existing supply constraint commitments,” she said. “We need action on the ground now.” “Policies must be supply focused by bringing down construction costs, boosting productivity and ensuring land is shovel ready. “Housing is not a political football to be passed around from local, state and federal governments. It requires a coordinated approach with the Federal Government leading the way. “Seventy per cent of Australians believe the Federal Government is the most responsible to solve the housing crisis and the industry agrees. “Master Builders will not shy away from campaigning on policy ideas that will make the housing crisis worse and hold industry back.” The campaign will run across digital and traditional media platforms which includes but not limited to: social, radio, podcasts, gaming, print, robocalls, and online news. Based on extensive electorate analysis through MBA DataHouse, Master Builders has identified 40 target seats across the country which are made up of a mix of seats with a high share of building and construction businesses and tradies (10%+ of voters), renters and those under mortgage stress. Each week Master Builders will release a scorecard on how major parties are performing against the housing solutions checklist and we will ensure communities and industry are aware of any major developments. Some of MBA’s target seats: NSW: Gilmore, Patterson, Parramatta, Reid, Fowler QLD: Ryan, Brisbane, Leichhardt WA: Curtin, Tangney, Bullwinkel, Pearce VIC: Chisholm, McEwan, Dunkley, Aston, Kooyong NT: Lingiari, Solomon SA: Sturt, Boothby TAS: Lyons, Braddon

Log prices during January and February have remained stable across both export and domestic segments which has been good for all involved across the forestry supply Chain. As reported last month, there are signs of weakness in both China and India with supply to both destinations well exceeding demand. Consumption levels are expected pick up in both with the expectation being some current downward price pressure risk will be averted if it does. Uncertainty prevails across all international spheres of business I am hearing about. with all eyes watching the Trump mania and just how this will all play out. The illustrious Donald might have been best to study Newtons Laws of Motion. In simple terms, had he done so he would know for every action (force) there is always an opposite an equal reaction (force). Thus, as I mentioned last month, trade is demand and supply. Whatever force may be exerted on one, the equal and opposite reaction will be continuance done differently. Erstwhile of course it will be US consumers who will pay to ensure the forces are equalised China remains flat as all this plays out and the resulting nervousness about exports to the US dominates. Daily consumption is weak at around 10,000 m3 as at mid-February which in part reflects workers quietly returning from their homelands after CNY. Usage will need to climb quickly through 50,000 m3 per day and inventory will need to stay below 4mil m3 to retain any level of confidence. Inventory is currently sitting at 3.9million. On a brighter side, deliveries from NZ were below expectation in first half of February at 17 and that is helping retain some levels of confidence. For the moment, the market indicator A grade is sitting at CFRUS$118 per cubic metre and no one is suggesting movement either way until the usage v supply number starts to reveal its true colours. In India, A grade has fallen from CFRUS$145 to $125 per m3 over the last 4 months although most commentary is suggesting buyers are not lining up to issue LC’s even at the new levels. Some bonded cargos are being offered at US$115 with some of the stock now very old and the market attempting to use that as leverage. Daily usage numbers are weak, but all expect this to increase in the next few weeks. Some India sawmill owners use bonded cargos as a mechanism to defer duty and GST payments so some of the 103,000 m3 currently sitting in bond is not distressed cargo. Quite working out which is which would be more difficult than trying to work out what is going on inside the US Presidents head. NZ’s log trade to India is somewhat impacted by a long-standing tariff applied to NZ logs, effectively eroding US$7 per m3 off the value. This is giving Australia the leading edge on supply, despite the fact Australia logs are much smaller and of poorer quality. For India right now, price is more important than quality, but this only highlights the need for NZ Trade Minister Todd McClay to get in there, do some chest beating, and get the tariff removed. In broad summary, there were 36 shipments of logs to China in January when the demand was for 6, and there were 7 shipments to India when the demand was for about 4. Both of course are very much skewed by the market being on holiday in the latter part of January. Of the next three months the current indicators are for stable pricing in the market as long as usage does pick up. Shipping costs are showing a definite tick up but some commentary suggests weakness in world trade until the current tariff battles are sorted, so I predict the current run will be short lived. A quick ring around some domestic customers suggests a small but important lift in sales enquiries in January with some apparent small increase in new house starts. Cautionary tones continue to dominate with some mills still building stock in some grades. Domestic sawmill lumber exports have also been benefiting from a lower NZ dollar exchange rate albeit prices in the market are also very weak. As always, please remember the thoroughly important message, “despite the challenges, it remains, as always, fundamentally important, the only way forward for climate, country and the planet, is to get out there and plant more trees”. Laurie Forestry is a leading Australasian forestry company that provides consultancy, management and marketing services to forest owners, farmers, sawmills and manufacturers.