A re-elected majority Rockliff Liberal Government will unlock Tasmania’s native forestry “Wood Bank”, providing an up to 10 per cent boost in the annual supply of high-quality sawlog to Tasmanian sawmillers.

“The Liberals are the strongest supporters of Tasmania’s high-value native forestry industry, backing in Tasmanian sawmillers, contractors, and local jobs,” Premier Jeremy Rockliff said.

“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 gutted.

“Timber communities across the State were decimated and two out of every three jobs in the sector were sacrificed by Labor seeking to appease the Greens.

“Following our election in 2014, we rescued 356,000 hectares of production native forest from being permanently locked up, and set it aside in a “Wood Bank” – the Future Potential Production Forest – for a rainy day.

“That rainy day has now arrived.

“As a result of both the closure of native forest industries in Western Australia and Victoria under Labor Governments, as well as growing global demand for sustainably produced wood and fibre products, now is the right time to open this Wood Bank."

That's why 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 up to 10 per cent increase annually; and
• Make this new supply exclusively available to existing Tasmanian customers.

“Importantly, by making this additional timber available exclusively to existing Tasmanian customers of Sustainable Timber Tasmania, this will ensure that Tasmania’s native forestry sawmillers have more of the timber they need,” Premier Jeremy Rockliff said.

Minister for Resources, Felix Ellis, said that Tasmania’s forest industry supports over 5,700 direct and indirect jobs, not just in harvesting but also 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 to bespoke furniture,” Minister Ellis said.

“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 around 58 per cent of the State's native forests and over 85 per cent of its old-growth forests.

“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 approximately 39,000 hectares of largely regrowth forest in the northeast and northwest, 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 STT's current and future certification and that 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 Rockliff Liberal Government.

“Once opened, the timber from this Wood Bank will be made available through Sustainable Timber Tasmania exclusively to existing Tasmanian-based customers.

“This process will make available up to an additional 158,000 cubic metres of high-quality sawlog to Tasmanian sawmillers. It is expected that this will provide an up to 10 per cent boost in annual supply to the industry.

“Only a re-elected majority Rockliff Liberal Government has a 2030 Strong Plan to keep Tasmania’s native forest industry strong.”