COVID -19 is a wrecking ball for the house construction industry, and will impact multiple sectors of the WA economy, including the local timber manufacturing industry, according to the Forest Industries Federation of WA’s executive director Melissa Haslam. Source: Timberbiz
“Our timber producers locally manufacture and supply most of the timber for house frames, roofs, cabinetry, doors, timber floors and decks. New housing starts are declining rapidly and predicted to plummet significantly in the next six months,” she said.
FIFWA is forecasting a decline for locally sawn and manufactured timber of more than 50% in the next six months. This is a disaster for the 6000 West Australians who are directly and indirectly employed by our industry.
Many of the industry’s employees are located throughout major towns of the southwest and provide a significant contribution to their local economies.
FIFWA is joining the growing voice calling for much needed housing construction stimulus.
“We are appealing to our Premier to adopt an urgent recovery package for the housing sector by increasing the first homer owner’s grant and other stimulus for any new homes built, as well as immediately bringing forward new social housing projects and eliminating delays in planning and approval regimes,” Ms Haslam said.
“Anything that stimulates the housing sector will save many thousands of local jobs.”
This call by the FIFWA comes hot on the heels of a similar call made by the Australian Forest Products Association detailed in Daily Timber News on Wednesday 22 April, when AFPA CEO Ross Hampton said that a stimulus recovery package for the sector was needed urgently to counter the massive reduction in new house starts.
