Wood suppliers are warning the lack of product has hit statewide and will delay thousands of building projects in the coming months as the crisis worsens. Source: The Herald Sun
Fresh fruit, food, beer and other household goods will also be hit because of added costs for timber crates or palettes required for delivery.
Buildoz Carpentry owner Cameron Arthur said the shortage would “create waves … there is no doubt.”
“The availability of timber is very hard at the moment and it’s going to get worse. The big picture is we need to import more and people are going to have to pay more.”
Other industry figures told the Herald Sun material costs had already jumped as much as 20%, which would be passed on to consumers.
Master Builders Association of Victoria CEO Radley de Silva said the shortage was concerning.
“With a rapidly growing population, and a requirement of close to 55,000 new housing starts per annum, a shortage of timber is very concerning, and reductions in supply could have flow-on effects for housing affordability,’ he said.
“Generally speaking, when prices in raw materials go up, that increase will eventually be passed along to the consumer to at least some degree.”
The wood crisis comes as Australia battles to compete in the international trade of timber with exporters opting to sell to China and America over the southern hemisphere.
The industry has also been impacted by recent bushfires destroying large areas of private pine plantation and the closure of Carter Holt Harvey’s Morwell mill.
Opposition spokesman Brad Battin said the Victorian Government had ignored the warning signs.
“A shortage of pine puts at risk thousands of jobs this Christmas,” he said.
“Daniel Andrews has proven again he cares more about winning Green votes than keeping the costs for building a family home. Minister for Industry and Employment Ben Carroll said the government would continue to support the sector.
“The softwood timber industry is under increasing pressure after the loss of local pine plantations in recent bushfires.
“Thanks to innovations in building materials in recent years, Victoria’s construction industry has greater choice in the products they purchase.”
