QUICK FACTS
- 5,700 jobs supported in the industry
- $700 million in value at point-of-sale
- 3.43 million hectares of protected reserves
- $5 million more to support on island processing
- Renewable resource needed to build our homes
Under our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future, a re-elected majority Liberal Government will:
- Make available up to 40,000 hectares of the Future Potential Production Forest “wood bank”
- Make available an additional wood basket of up to 158,000 cubic metres of high quality sawlog to Tasmanian industry – that’s an annual increase of up to 10 per cent
- Make this new supply available exclusively to existing Tasmanian customers
- Support our iconic special species timber sector
- Supercharge on-island processing with an additional $5 million
An important part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania's Future is keeping our economy strong to create the jobs Tasmanians need to ensure that Tasmania remains the best state to live, work and raise a family. The Liberals are the strongest supporters of our native forestry industry which is sustainable, renewable and world-leading.
Strong Plan to grow Tasmania’s native forest industry – opening the wood bank
The Liberals are the strongest supporters of Tasmania’s high-value native forestry industry.
Tasmania’s native forest industry is sustainable, renewable, and world-leading.
The industry supports more than 5,700 direct and indirect jobs, not just in harvesting but across transport, associated support industries and sawmills around the State.
Sawlog from our native forests is of high value and used in products ranging from high-quality floorboards, to feature walls and bespoke furniture.
It’s important to remember, more than 50 per cent, or 3.43 million hectares, of Tasmania is in formal reserves, making Tasmania one of the most protected places on earth. This includes 58 per cent of the State's native forests and over 85 per cent of its old-growth forests.
The “wood bank” - the Future Potential Production Forest (FPPF) land - comprises 356,000 hectares of land that was set aside to provide for future sustainable forestry production in Tasmania.
Tasmania’s native forest sawmilling industry is currently under increasing supply pressures, due primarily to the actions of Labor and Greens both historically, and more recently.
This has included the halving of the production forest estate in 2011 under the disastrous Labor-Green forestry deal, and the closure of native forest industries in both Western Australia and Victoria under Labor Governments. This has led to increased interest and competition in our high quality native forests from interstate processors.
With global demand growing for sustainably produced wood and fibre products, now is the right time to open this wood bank.
History of the Future Potential Production Forest
Under the devastating Labor-Greens Tasmanian Forestry Agreement signed in 2011, the area of production forest land in Tasmania was nearly halved and wood supply to local sawmillers was decimated.
Timber communities across the state were gutted and two out of every three jobs in the sector were sacrificed by Labor seeking to appease the Greens.
As a result of our action to rip up the job-destroying Labor-Green forest deal, we were able to rescue more than 350,000 hectares of forestry land from being permanently locked up, and instead legislated to have it classified as Future Potential Product Forest, a “wood bank” for the future that was not able to be opened prior to 2020.
Process to unlock the Wood Bank
Within 100 days of re-election, we will commence the process to unlock the Wood Bank as outlined in Section 7 of the Rebuilding the Forestry Industry Act 2014.
We have already identified 27 parcels of FPPF land totalling about 39,000 hectares of largely regrowth forest in the north-east and north-west of the state, which is suitable for conversion back to production forest.
The parcels have been identified on the basis that the state's comprehensive, adequate and representative (CAR) reserve system is not compromised, that there is no negative impact on Sustainable Timber Tasmania’s (STT) current and future certification and that they maximise carbon carrying capacity, fire protection and recreational opportunities.
Additionally, areas of regrowth forests with previous forest management and roading activity have been prioritised.
We will work closely with industry to implement this process of unlocking the Wood Bank within the first 100 days of a re-elected majority Liberal Government.
Once opened, the timber from this wood bank will be made available through STT exclusively to existing Tasmanian-based customers.
It is estimated that this process would result in an increase of up to 158,000 cubic metres of high-quality native sawlog being made available annually to Tasmanian sawmillers – that’s an annual increase of up to 10 per cent.
This will support the continued operation of our crucial local native forestry industry.
Stand with our iconic special species timber sector
Tasmania’s forests produce unique timbers such as celery top pine, Huon pine and blackwood are highly sought after by the craft, fine furniture and boat-building industries.
As a result of the disastrous Labor-Green years and reduced harvesting in special species rich areas, the supply of some of these timbers has reduced—in some cases, significantly.
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will:
- Deliver a $100,000 in demand analysis study to assess the market for special species timbers, working with key stakeholders including the Tasmanian Special Timbers Alliance;
- Provide $50,000 towards a scoping study into the potential for Huon pine to be salvaged from other areas of the state, including through heli-harvesting, to ensure a future supply of this rare and iconic timber; and
- Work with STT to audit the Wooden Boat Board Bank stock at Island Specialty Timbers.
Supercharge on-island processing and value-adding
Seizing opportunities further up the value chain in forestry creates Tasmanian jobs and opportunity.
Tasmania already value-adds locally grown timber products such as veneer, laminated timber, trusses and framing timber, appearance grade timber and pallets.
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will build on the success of our On Island Processing Program by committing an additional $5 million to this program.
These new funds will attract new investment, create regional jobs and further grow value in Tasmania’s forest and forest products industry.
Net Cost: $5.15 million