(L-R) Labor Member for Bega Dr Michael Holland, Shadow Minister for Regional NSW Mick Veitch, Shadow Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully, Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders (Co-Chair), former Shadow Minister for Natural Resources Tania Mihailuk (Co-Chair), Nationals Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis, and Nationals Member for Upper Hunter Dave Layzell.
Note: Several other parliamentarians were in attendance but were not present when the photo was taken.
NSW Parliamentarians from across the political spectrum have joined to establish the inaugural Parliamentary Friends of Forestry group, co-chaired by Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders and former Shadow Minister for Natural Resources Tania Mihailuk. Source: Timberbiz
NSW forest industries representatives met with the Parliamentarians to welcome the establishment of the group.
Australian Forest Products Association NSW Chief Executive Officer Victor Violante said the strong parliamentary support shown today, with around 20 parliamentarians attending, was testament to how important and prevalent NSW forest industries are in our community.
“NSW’s sustainable forest industries provide so many essential products and services in our everyday lives from timber for our homes, paper and cardboard for our food, firewood to heat our homes, pallets to transport essential goods – they are everywhere,” Mr Violante said.
“The NSW Parliamentary Friends of Forestry will be an important forum to raise awareness about how connected we all are to our timber, paper and forestry industries. Our lives literally depend on a strong forest industries sector.”
Mr Violante said NSW forest industries also have an important role to play in the state’s net zero emissions and zero waste goals, and that growing the timber plantation estate to secure our future timber resource, support tens of thousands of regional jobs and store more carbon was a win-win-win.
“As the recent NSW Legislative Council inquiry into the future of NSW forest industries found, NSW is facing a timber supply crisis as global and local demand for sustainable construction and packaging products increases and the NSW forest resource fails to keep pace with demand. The impact of recent bushfires and floods have compounded these challenges.
“We need all decision makers to recognise the importance of forest industries, and the urgency in implementing the right policies to ensure we have enough forest timber and wood fibre resource for future generations.
“We thank the inaugural members of the Parliamentary Friends of Forestry, especially the Co-Chairs, and look forward to working with all members of Parliament on growing our forest industries,” Mr Violante said.
