Forestry Action Plan: NSW Government Consultation

The AWU NSW Branch is fighting to ensure the NSW Government is delivering for timber workers, and their communities, as they continue to work towards the establishment of the Great Koala Park on the Mid North Coast.

Recently, an AWU delegation met with Ministers, the crossbench and the Nationals to lobby on behalf of the entire timber industry. Forestry operations and timber jobs support over 15,000 workers across the state. In fact, up to 1 in 10 people in some regional areas work in the industry!

This is a big industry, but it has an even bigger impact. Timber products from regional NSW make it possible to build homes and keep the mining, transport, and retail sectors strong.

Our delegates reminded Members of Parliament of the important role that the forestry industry and timber workers play in our state’s emergency response coordination and the economic output of the industry.

This was also a good opportunity for our delegation to flesh out issues in the industry, including the:

Sustainability of current and future forestry operations in NSW;

Demand for timber products, particularly as relates to NSW housing, construction, mining, transport and retail;

The future of softwood and hardwood and the continuation of Private Native Forestry in helping meet timber supply needs;

The role of State Forests in maximising the delivery of a range of environmental, economic and social outcomes.

Opportunities to realise carbon and biodiversity benefits and support carbon and biodiversity markets, and mitigate and adapt to climate change risks;

Greenhouse gas emission impacts of different uses of forests and assessment of climate change risks to forests.

Thanks to all our delegates, especially Andrew Candie, Bronwyn Ellis, Luke Seccombe and Brent Smith for representing the AWU and timber workers with passion. Your efforts are helping protect the forestry industry in NSW.

Our delegates efforts further pressured the NSW Government to release its Forestry Industry Action Plan – which had been indefinitely delayed.