The outlook for the housing industry in Australia remains gloomy after data showing the value of lending to the sector is still heading lower. Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show the number of loans approved to home buyers rose by an insignificant 0.3 pe

The South East Forestry Industry Roundtable has given final approval regarding the conditions of the sale of state timber forests. Source: ABC News

Masters Home Improvement, the Woolworths' joint venture with US company Lowe's, is seeking regulatory approval to buy three hardware stores in the Victorian town of Ballarat. Sources: The Australian, The Ballarat Courier

Forest and Wood Products Australia Limited (FWPA) is seeking to appoint up to four directors to its board, including at least one independent director. Source: Timberbiz

The CSIRO’s decision to join the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) was criticized by environmentalists who took the matter to the Commonwealth Ombudsman. Source: ABC Melbourne

The Forestry Commission Scotland has released a new publication to address growing business and environmental challenges that may be posed to forests in the future. Source: Farming UK

How the Pacific region’s agriculture and forestry industries can gain access to the booming Chinese economy and its growing need for food and timber is what the European Union-funded Facilitating Agricultural Commodity Trade (FACT) project is examining. Source: Islands Business

The manufacturing sector is vital to the Queensland economy as it underpins the resources boom and major infrastructure program supporting the growth of the mining and gas sectors and the 2012 Manufacturing Skills Conference, to be held in Brisbane on 18 May, aims to start a skills-le