A move by the Tasmanian Greens to abolish sawlog quotas will simply result in timber being imported from unregulated overseas markets, according to the Tasmanian Forest Products Association. Source: Timberbiz
On Wednesday the Greens tabled the Forest Management Amendment (Minimum Sawlog Quota Repeal) Bill 2021 which, if passed will abolish Section 16 of the Forest Management Act 2013, which establishes wood production supply. It requires Forestry Tasmania to make available each year 137,000 cubic metres of forest timber.
“In a climate and biodiversity crisis, there is no case for native forest logging, let alone mandated destruction targets.” Greens Leader Cassy O’Connor said.
But TFPA CEO Nick Steel said the Bill was a giant step backward for any meaningful climate action.
“To dream up a policy that would end local production of building materials and create a reliance on imports would be one of the most misinformed and ill-educated policies I have ever seen,” he said.
“Reliance on imports increases the sovereign risk of timber supply and drives our consumers, builders and manufacturers to a reliance on imported timber. It will simply open up markets for carbon intensive and non-renewable construction materials like concrete, steel and aluminium.”
“Have the Greens learned nothing from the current building crisis, where reliance on imports has significantly impacted the industry?
“Ms O’Connor needs to be honest with the people of Tasmania and explain how imported timber and carbon intensive non-renewable substitutes will result in any real climate action and she should do this before she tries to pull the rug out from under our regional economies” said Mr Steel.
