The Tasmanian Forests Products Association has congratulated the State Government on the release of the new Tasmanian Housing Strategy but has said timber should play a pivotal role in the construction of all new houses. Source: Timberbiz
The Tasmanian Housing Strategy, a first in the State’s history, was launched Thursday with the goal of delivering more homes and ending homelessness in Tasmania by 2043.
Minister for Housing and Construction, Nic Street, said that the Tasmanian Liberal Government’s long-term plan will deliver a well-functioning housing system that provides safe, appropriate and affordable housing for all Tasmanians.
“We know that Tasmania is changing, we have seen our population increase, changes in the way we work and live, and rising cost of living pressures which have necessitated long-term thinking to ensure our State is the best place to live in Australia,” Mr Street said.
TFPA CEO, Nick Steel, said while the strategy is a bold plan to build more homes for Tasmanians, maximising the use of timber in the construction will bring added environmental benefits for the state.
“While the new Housing Strategy will deliver thousands of new homes for all Tasmanians, if the Government wants to get serious about capturing carbon, increasing the use of locally produced timber is the best way to achieve that,” Mr Steel said.
“It’s well known that the use of timber is the excellent way to capture carbon from the atmosphere, locking it away in homes for life. And timber is used in so many parts of home construction.”
Mr Steel said that environmentally friendly homes required radiata pine framing and plywood for the substrates, hardwoods for the floors, windows, doors, benchtops and stairs, MDF and chipboard for kitchen/laundry cabinets and wardrobes, and treated pine for the fences and landscaping.
“That’s without even going into their furniture needs, packing boxes and paper products,” Mr Steel said. “Timber is the ultimate renewable and should be at the forefront of all new building development in Tasmania both government and private.
“I look forward to working with the Government as they continue to develop the strategy, to ensure that Tasmanian timber is maximised in the new homes, not only for the environment, but also for the thousands of Tasmanians employed in our sustainable forestry industry.”
