Anthony Albanese with Governor-General David Hurley.
The Australian Forest Products Association has congratulated the incoming Albanese Labor Government and signalled its determination to assist Labor meet timber production targets and more ambitious climate goals. Source: Timberbiz
Anthony Albanese was sworn in as Australia’s 31st prime minister this morning.
This morning’s latest count had the ALP with 72 confirmed seats and the Coalition with 52 seats with 12 seats still in doubt with 71% of the vote counted. The ALP needs 76 seats to govern in its own right.
The make-up of the Senate is still to be determined.
“I congratulate new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on his historic election victory,” AFPA CEO Ross Hampton said.
“We have had an open and constructive dialogue with Labor especially through Shadow Agriculture Minister Julie Collins, who has been intensely interested in measures which will put more timber into the hands of builders and homeowners.
“We were delighted therefore that during the campaign, Labor committed to the goal of a billion more production trees and grants to trigger new plantings, significant funding for sawmill upgrades to get more timber from every log and the Launceston based National Institute for Forest Products Innovation (NIFPI) which will deliver breakthroughs in timber and fibre use to help us move out of plastics into more climate friendly products,” Mr Hampton said.
“Labor has also signalled an urgent mission to constructively work with the land sector, which deeply involves forestry, to ensure Australia can turn up at the next climate talks in Egypt in November with more ambitious net zero targets.
“We will also work with Labor to ensure it upholds its commitment to no more forest lockups and continuing to support our sustainable, modest native forest sector,” he said.
“There is a great deal to do to ensure all these ideas deliver for all Australians and forest industries stand ready to assist.
“Forest industries also thank outgoing Assistant Minister for Forestry, Senator Jonno Duniam, who has worked tirelessly for Australia’s forestry sector and been instrumental in delivering such strong outcomes for us in the election campaign,” Mr Hampton said.
