The Albanese government will not abandon the Australian native hardwood industry, with Julie Collins, Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, reiterating the Australian government’s long-term commitment to native forest:
“I also want to reiterate that the Albanese Labor Government is not changing policy regarding native forestry. We support the communities and the jobs that rely on this industry.”
Addressing 100 representatives at the Australian Forest Product Association (AFPA) members dinner – the last for the year – the minister’s statement came just hours after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese overruled Tanya Plibersek, his Environmental Minister and scuttled last-minute negotiations to secure a deal on Nature Positive Laws before the Christmas parliamentary shut-down period.
This 11th-hour intervention led Sarah Hanson-Young, the Greens’ environmental spokesperson, to accuse the forestry (and mining) industries of bullying the Prime Minister into influencing policy.
“The Prime Minister has been bullied by the mining and logging lobby again,” Ms Hanson-Young claimed – who had pushed the government to trade Regional Forest Agreements (which are federal-state deals that enjoy an exemption from national environment laws on the basis that reserves and forest practice requirements were sufficient) in exchange for a guaranteed passage for the Nature Positive Bill.
Last week, Wood Central revealed that the Greens’ push was criticised by the National Farmers Federation (the NFF), which was “vehemently opposed” to the proposal to remove continuing use provisions and ban native forestry as quid pro quo in exchange for passing the Albanese Government’s Nature Positive bills.
“The Greens’ attempt to strike down an entire industry through hasty amendments is just irresponsible politicking,” said Charlie Thomas, the NFF’s Deputy CEO. “Regional Forest Agreements result from careful, comprehensive processes that balance conservation with sustainable resource use.”
- To find out why the Australian government scuttled negotiations with the Greens over the Nature Positive Bill this week and why this decision will protect Australia’s native forest industry (for now), click here for Wood Central’s special feature.
