Australia’s $24 billion forest and wood products supply chain has welcomed Federal Labor’s ‘Remade in Australia’ brand, but the elephant in the room remains: Where does the Prime Minister stand on Country of Origin labelling?
Launched as part of the Future Made in Australia Plan, ‘ReMade in Australia’ is Federal Labor’s push to kickstart a circular economy. Under the plan, which the Albanese government will take to the May 3 election, products with a minimum of 20% recycled content—50% of which must be Australian-made—can display a new logo. Requirements for local components will increase to 100% by 2030.
“Manufacturers of timber and wood-fibre products across our sector use a huge amount of recycled resources to make new products,” according to Diana Hallam, CEO of the Australian Forest Products Association: “Whether recycled paper and packaging products are being reused, recycled products in particleboard, or even recycled plastics to create composite timber decking, the forest products sector is one of Australia’s great recyclers.”
Whilst Ms Hallam is confident that manufacturers will be interested in exploring the ‘ReMade in Australia brand’, which aligns with AFPA’s Election Platform – Australian Timber. Australia’s Future: “The big question remains, whether Federal Labor will commit to Country of Origin labelling for timber and wood.”
“While it’s a worthy endeavour to inform consumers about recycled content, informing them about where the timber and wood they’re buying comes from in the first place is as, if not more important. Both the Coalition and One Nation have committed to Country of Origin labelling for timber and wood. We need to know where Labor stands.”
Up to 30% of Timber at Australian Ports Could be Illegal.
In October, Wood Central revealed that between 25% and 30% of all timber entering Australia could be illegal, making Australian ports a hot spot for the world’s most profitable cross-border environmental crime.
According to Matt Lowe, Deputy Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Policy, illegal timber accounts for 15-30% of all wood traded globally: “Using timber testing technologies will strengthen Australia’s ongoing efforts to address this problem by enhancing existing compliance and due diligence efforts under our illegal logging prohibition laws.”
Starting last month, Australia has beefed up its enforcement against illegal logging. The federal government introduced new compliance rules beginning March 3, 2025, streamlining risk assessments, enhancing enforcement, and supporting adherence to due diligence requirements.
