Supply of nation-building hardwood timber is critical to the NSW economy, providing thousands of jobs and skills right along the supply chain, according to a new Ernst + Young report.
The report, issued 34 days ahead of the NSW state election on March 25, says science-based election policies must safeguard local timber supply to meet the rising demand for wood products and support regional communities.
The report shows that the NSW hardwood timber industry is vitally important to the state’s rural and regional economy, contributing $2.9 billion in revenue, adding $1.1 billion to NSW’s gross domestic product and employing almost 9000 people.
Timber NSW CEO Maree McCaskill, a contributor to Wood Central said: “We need to set out the facts. Hardwood timber is a sustainable, renewable and essential input into the construction, agriculture, mining and energy sectors.”
Ms McCaskill said that contrary to self-serving announcements from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Australia faced strong and rising demand for nation-building timber supplies.
“The NSW timber industry is, in fact, a significant and growing part of the state’s economy and has had this central role in our regional communities for more than a century,” Ms McCaskill said.
The Ernst + Young Report shows that northeast NSW supplies two-thirds of the state’s nation-building hardwood timber, which makes an important contribution to the state’s economy.”
“Misguided plans by the ALP and Greens to create a State Koala Park from state forest land will mean thousands of job losses and more timber imports, without any conservation benefits,” Ms McCaskill said.
“To meet rising demand for timber and support northeast communities, science-based policies must safeguard local timber supply.
“In a context of rising demand for nation-building timber supplies, how can NSW policymakers plan to allocate hundreds of thousands of hectares of state forest to a koala park? Extensive scientific research shows that the koala populations in northeast NSW state forests are stable and not being impacted by timber harvesting.
“It will do nothing except decimate jobs in the NSW timber industry and hike timber imports from less regulated neighbouring countries. We need to safeguard local timber supplies and keep these jobs and skills in NSW.”
The NSW timber industry undertakes highly selective native forestry that is certified to the highest forest management standard. Hardwood timber in NSW is supplied from a mix of native forestry (80%) conducted primarily in NSW state forests and plantations (20%), in line with strict timber harvesting and environmental regulations.
Ernst + Young’s report, commissioned by the commonwealth-funded North East NSW and South East NSW Regional Forestry Hubs, tracks the hardwood timber industry’s direct and indirect economic impact. It shows the critical importance of the industry to the Northern NSW economy, contributing $1.8 billion in revenue, adding $700 million to NSW GDP and employing 5700 people in the region.
Maree McCaskill said: “Hardwood timber is a growing part of the state’s economy; it’s a sustainable, renewable and essential input into the construction, infrastructure, agriculture, mining and energy sectors. The strength of this demand for hardwood timber is driving its increasing value.”
The NSW timber industry undertakes highly selective native forestry that is certified to the highest forest management standard. Hardwood timber in NSW is supplied from a mix of native forestry (80%) conducted primarily in NSW state forests and plantations (20%), in line with strict timber harvesting and environmental regulations.
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