Australian timber industry news

Stora Enso is planning to centralise pine timber sawing from its Veitsiluoto sawmill in Kemi, Finland, to the company’s other sawmills in Northern Finland, particularly Oulu and Kalajoki. Source: Timberbiz The planned change is part of Stora Enso’s ongoing efforts to improve efficiency, profitability, and competitiveness in line with its strategy. If implemented, the plan would result in the permanent closure of the Veitsiluoto sawmill. Stora Enso Veitsiluoto Oy and Stora Enso Oyj will initiate change negotiations concerning the planned permanent discontinuation of production at the Veitsiluoto sawmill. The negotiations cover all employees at the sawmill, approximately 60 people, and are expected to last three weeks. According to the current plan, the sawmill would not restart production in October 2026 after the ongoing temporary curtailment. No decisions on the planned closure or possible personnel reductions will be made before the negotiations have been concluded. “In recent years, Stora Enso has expanded its sawmilling operations in northern Finland to deliver high-quality sawn goods for demanding applications, complementing our expanding high-quality board production. “However, Veitsiluoto has operated for over 100 years, and continuing production there would require significant investments. At the same time, our modern Oulu sawmill is ramping up. We are committed to conducting the negotiations in a responsible and constructive manner and supporting our personnel throughout the process,” said Matti Lielahti, Head of Stora Enso Business Unit Oulu. Stora Enso Business Unit Oulu employs approximately 900 people across its board mill, port operations and sawmill in Oulu, and its sawmills in Veitsiluoto, Oulainen and Kalajoki. If implemented, the planned closure would only have a minor impact on the business unit’s wood consumption.

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Metsä is investing in a new production line for Muoto food packaging in Äänekoski, Finland. As for Metsä’s other innovation projects, the development of the lignin product and carbon capture is continuing as planned, but the conditions for the Kuura textile fibre project are estimated to have changed significantly due to the global market situation. Source: Timberbiz Investment in Metsa’s Kuura textile fibre mill will not proceed. In the target market for Kuura textile fibres – that is, man-made cellulosic fibres – significant global overproduction has emerged in a short period, which has undermined the competitiveness of high-quality and responsibly manufactured fibres. The greatest change has taken place in Asia, where significant new capacity has emerged in recent years. Currently, too few customers are willing to pay a premium for responsibly produced materials. Due to the market changes, the investment in the Kuura textile fibre mill in Kemi, Finland, will not proceed. The Kuura project is not estimated to have the prerequisites to continue in its current form. However, the expertise developed in the field of textile fibres is valuable, and the company is exploring options for utilising it. Developed by Metsä, Muoto is a fibre-based packaging solution produced from Metsä’s own wood fibres. The products can be shaped to meet a variety of customer needs. “We’ve developed a competitive product and production concept for Muoto packaging that responds to the growing demand for fossil-free packaging solutions. Muoto supports Metsä’s ambition to develop new packaging innovations in collaboration with companies in the packaging value chain,” said Niklas von Weymarn, CEO of the innovation company Metsä Spring. Muoto products are made directly from wet wood pulp, without any intermediate steps. Muoto combines stiffness and functionality with a light weight, making it suitable for applications such as demanding serving and food packaging. “There’s a strong market trend to find alternatives to plastic in certain product groups, which opens a significant market niche for the Muoto business. Muoto products also meet the strict requirements of the EU’s recent Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. Legislation is expected to give a boost to the product’s chances of success,” von Weymarn said. The new Muoto fibre packaging production line will be located within the Metsä mill site in Äänekoski, next to the existing Muoto demo plant, and it will start up in 2028. The investment will be made in Äänekoski instead of Rauma, as previously planned, based on the infrastructure of the mill site, the existing production line and the costs of the investment. The value of the investment is approximately EUR 25 million, and the nominal capacity of the production line will be more than 100 million products per year.  

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Wood is widely regarded as the building material of the future. But turning renewable raw materials into high-rises that can genuinely bear structural loads takes more than good timber. It takes adhesives that deliver on what architecture promises. Source: Timberbiz In the Medienhafen district of Düsseldorf, Germany there is a building that speaks a different language: The Cradle is an office building with a striking façade of timber diamond shapes, where wood is not just decoration but structure. Framework. And right at its heart, invisible yet indispensable: adhesive – “the unsung hero,” as Marcel Blodau calls it. Mr Blodau works in product development at Henkel Adhesive Technologies, focusing on Engineered Wood, structural timber construction. “We’re not talking about chairs or tables. We’re talking about structures that carry loads: walls, ceilings, high-rises,” he said, explaining why the right adhesive is so critical: in cross laminated timber (CLT), layers of wood are stacked at 90-degree angles and bonded with adhesive. Cross-bonded layers compensate for the natural weak points of timber and achieve strengths comparable to concrete and steel. “That is only possible through the combination of adhesive and wood,“ Mr Blodau said. Mr Blodau has been part of the team since 2020. While the market has long been dominated by melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF) adhesives, Henkel focuses on polyurethane, a technology that contains no water and no solvents and can be processed at room temperature. “Polyurethane in structural timber construction is a comparatively young technology. We are at the beginning of a shift from concrete to more sustainable wood as building material – and that is exactly what makes it so exciting,” Mr Blodau said. What sets timber construction apart from steel and concrete is not just the material itself. It is the way buildings can be constructed. Timber components are manufactured in climate-controlled facilities, year-round, regardless of weather. When concrete cannot cure in winter, a conventional construction site comes to a standstill. In mass timber construction, production continues. “A finished wall element arrives on site and just needs the door fitted,” Mr Blodau said. That means shorter, more reliable build times and fewer trucks on the road. Claudia Meckel, who leads global product development for structural timber construction at Henkel, sees a further advantage. “Construction teams can prefabricate in a heated factory instead of standing on a building site in freezing temperatures. That is better for the workforce, for build quality and for planning reliability alike,” she said. There is a personal dimension to it as well: the prepolymer on which Henkel’s timber adhesives are based – the chemical building block that gives the adhesive its bonding properties was developed by her father, a chemist who spent many years in fundamental research. “It is wonderful to see what has come out of so much research and development work,” she said. Henkel’s ambition does not stop at the laboratory. The assembly time/press time ratio – the relationship between how long an adhesive remains workable and how long it needs under pressure to cure – shows how far product development reaches: directly into customers’ production processes. “If the adhesive has a long open time but a short press time, that increases the output of the entire production line,” Ms Meckel said. There is one question that comes to mind immediately: Don’t timber buildings burn far more quickly? Ms Meckel shakes her head. Steel softens under extreme heat and loses its structural integrity. Timber, by contrast, chars on the outside, forming a protective layer while retaining its load-bearing capacity in the core for a long time. For tall buildings, adhesives are needed that actively support this behaviour. In a fire, an adhesive must not melt. If it does, the char layer falls away, fresh wood is exposed and the fire gains strength again. “Using phosphorus compounds, the adhesive forms a stable char layer,” Ms Meckel said. “This allows timber structures to remain stable, enables safe evacuation and is a key enabler for high rise timber construction.” Henkel’s position as a pioneer in this field is clear from the fact that its internal research division began working on the topic as early as 2017 and long before EUROCODE 5: The European standard that for the first time sets binding fire protection requirements for adhesives in structural timber construction. “The goal was clear: develop adhesives that make it possible to build tall buildings from wood,” Mr Blodau said. Henkel is the only supplier worldwide offering a fire-retardant polyurethane adhesive, LOCTITE HB X, that meets both European and American certification standards. Building on this success, Henkel introduced the new fire-retardant LOCTITE HB XE product line in 2025. The new generation adhesive delivers outstanding performance in meeting the latest EUROCODE 5 requirements while also offering enhanced processing and application properties for customers. Sustainability in timber construction operates on several levels: CO₂, recycling, health, certification. The visible dimension: Wood stores CO₂ and replaces energy-intensive concrete. The less obvious one: the bonding agents themselves. But Henkel goes a step further. The answer is mass balance – a certified accounting method that tracks the share of sustainable raw materials through the production chain and it starts with used cooking oil. Used cooking oil is processed into bio-naphtha, which is fed together with conventional naphtha, into the start of the chemical production chain. Through a certified mass-balance accounting system, the improved CO₂ footprint can be documented and passed along the entire supply chain as a certificate. The result: the LOCTITE HB S ECO line – the first polyurethane adhesive for structural timber construction certified under ISCC Plus, an internationally recognized sustainability standard. “With this, we can reduce the CO₂ footprint per kilogram of adhesive by up to 60 per cent,” Ms Meckel said. Mr Blodau said that Henkel is currently the only supplier in the polyurethane space with this certification. Jeanine Wojciechowski has been responsible for Henkel’s European business in structural timber construction since September 2025. And is still captivated by what she sees every day. “Every time I walk into the production facility, […]

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Prescribed burning is the only landscape scale tool capable of reducing fuel loads, simplifying fuel structure, breaking fuel continuity and moderating dangerous fire behaviour across Australian forests. Source:  John O’Donnell As noted in the attached review, prescribed burning is the only landscape scale tool capable of reducing fuel loads, simplifying fuel structure, breaking fuel continuity and moderating dangerous fire behaviour across Australian forests. Decades of scientific and operational evidence, from McArthur (1962) to Burrows et al. (2023), demonstrate that fuel quantity, fuel structure and fuel continuity are the dominant drivers of fire intensity, severity, rate of spread and spotting. Weather and topography matter, but only fuel can be modified at scale. The impacts of intense, severe and long duration bushfires across south eastern Australia are enormous, spanning 32 impact areas and affecting communities, ecosystems, water supplies, infrastructure and national resilience. The combined impacts across SE Australia are huge, especially considering intense and severe bushfires. With severe fires becoming more frequent, fuel management has become a critical national priority. The full review is attached here. Fuel layers, understanding how fires actually spread A central insight of the review is that prescribed burning directly modifies the fuel layers that govern fire behaviour. Cheney’s (2026 a per. comm) fuel layer framework shows that dry eucalypt forests contain six distinct layers, including canopy, intermediate, elevated, near surface, surface and duff, each contributing differently to flame development, vertical progression and spotting.  Cheney observes that “the structure of the vegetation in a dry eucalypt forest can be identified in 6 layers of different density” and that the near surface layer “is the first to dry after rain and always burns.” This layered understanding clarifies why prescribed burning is uniquely effective: it reduces the fine fuels that dominate rate of spread, removes ladder fuels that enable crown fire and chars bark fuels that drive spotting. Relative Fire Hazard and risk Relative Fire Hazard (RFH) analysis highlights the enormous differences in hazard between fuel types. Cheney (2026 b pers comm) shows that under very high fire danger, “a fire in a wet forest is 3000 times more hazardous than an eaten out or fine one year old pasture.” These hazard ratios incorporate both intensity and burnout time, the latter being crucial because long combustion periods drive soil heating, tree mortality and deep duff ignition. RFH demonstrates that fuel structure, fuel mass and combustion duration, not weather alone, govern the destructive potential of bushfires. Fuel load reduction, the cornerstone of bushfire mitigation Fuel load reduction is a major benefit of prescribed burning. Fine fuels accumulate rapidly after fire, and without regular mild burning they reach levels that support high intensity, fast moving and uncontrollable bushfires. Prescribed burning reduces surface litter, near surface fuels, elevated fine fuels, bark fuels, understorey shrubs, and parts of the duff and coarse woody debris layers. Western Australia’s long-term data demonstrates this clearly: maintaining prescribed burning at ~8–9% of public land annually keeps roughly 40% of the landscape in 0–5 year fuels, resulting in low bushfire area and high suppression effectiveness. Fuel structure simplification Fuel structure, the vertical and horizontal arrangement of combustible material, is as important as fuel load. Long fire free intervals produce dense understorey, low canopy base height, heavy bark fuels and continuous vertical ladders, conditions highly conducive to crown fire initiation. Fuel arrangement can have a greater impact on fire behaviour than overall fuel quantity. Prescribed burning simplifies fuel structure by reducing understorey density, removing juvenile eucalypts and shrubs, reducing dead woody debris, increasing vertical separation between fuel layers and charring fibrous bark, reducing spotting for several years These structural changes directly reduce flame contact with elevated fuels and limit crown fire potential. Breaking fuel continuity creating landscape mosaics Horizontal fuel discontinuity slows fire spread, reduces flame contact with elevated fuels and limits spotting. Landscape mosaics created by regular prescribed burning provide natural containment lines, reduce the probability of large fires, and support biodiversity by maintaining varied successional stages and unburnt refuges. Prescribed burning creates landscape mosaics and reduces fuel continuity. Reducing woody thickening and dead timber fuels Prescribed burning reduces woody thickening, a widespread issue in long unburnt forests. Thickened understorey increases fuel mass, reduces visibility, lowers canopy base height and increases ladder fuel density. It also reduces dead timber fuels generated by intense bushfires and by eucalypt decline associated with long term fire exclusion. Prescribed burning reduces quantities of dead timber fuels from intense bushfires and from decline processes driven by lack of regular, mild fire. These dead fuels significantly increase fire intensity, smouldering duration and suppression difficulty. Fire behaviour moderation and safety benefits In conclusion, prescribed burning moderates fire behaviour across all key dimensions, including intensity, severity, duration and rate of spread. By reducing fine fuels, simplifying structure and breaking continuity, prescribed burning lowers flame height, reduces ember production, limits crown fire potential and improves firefighter safety. Prescribed burning remains the only practical, scalable mechanism for reducing fuels, moderating fire behaviour, improving suppression effectiveness and reducing the likelihood of megafires.

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Forty-three Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) firefighters have deployed to the United States to support crews battling major wildfires, bringing specialist skills developed fighting fires in some of Victoria’s most rugged and remote forests. Source: Timberbiz The contingent is made up of highly trained and experienced firefighters from across the state, equipped to directly attack and contain fires in challenging conditions. “The situation across much of North America remains serious, and our crews are ready to put their skills and experience to work alongside local firefighters,” FFMVic Chief Fire Officer Chris Hardman said. Firefighters across the United States are currently working to contain 94 large fires. This is the third international deployment of firefighters and incident management staff from Victoria since July. “Our arduous firefighters are among our most experienced and physically capable personnel. They will make a big difference,” Mr Hardman said. “They bring resilience, practical skills and a deep understanding of fire behaviour developed through years of responding to some of Victoria’s most devastating bushfires.”

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  New Zealand’s Gisborne council is commissioning an independent assurance review of its forestry consenting and compliance system. Source: Timberbiz The Hon Christopher Finlayson KC has been confirmed to chair the independent review panel, with environmental and resource management specialist Dr Marie Doole confirmed as a panel member. Further specialist expertise is currently being finalised. Gisborn Council Chief Executive Nedine Thatcher Swann said the council initiated the review to independently test whether its current approach is fit for purpose, proportionate to Tairāwhiti’s environmental risks, and clear and workable in practice. “Tairāwhiti’s highly erodible land, steep terrain, severe weather exposure and downstream risks mean our regulatory approach needs to reflect the realities of our region,” she said. “Council has significantly strengthened its forestry consenting, monitoring and enforcement capability since 2018, and we have also been working closely with the forestry sector to improve our processes and standard consent conditions. “That work has been constructive, but concerns continue to be raised about consenting requirements, compliance settings, costs and processing timeframes. Rather than continue debating those issues from different positions, we want them independently tested against the evidence.” The focused review will examine a representative sample of consenting and compliance files and selected consent conditions, and test concerns raised by the sector against processing records, operational examples and other relevant evidence. It will consider whether requirements are proportionate to risk, whether conditions are clear and practical, whether processes are efficient and consistently administered, and whether improvements could reduce unnecessary cost or uncertainty while maintaining strong environmental outcomes. The review will also distinguish between matters council can address itself and issues that may require cooperation with the forestry sector or clearer national direction. “This is about independently testing what we are doing, confirming what is working well and being prepared to change what needs improving,” Ms Thatcher Swann said. “The review will give us a clear evidence base for any subsequent improvement work. “We want a regulatory system that protects our environment and communities, gives responsible forestry operators greater certainty, and supports appropriate, sustainable forestry and land use across Tairāwhiti.” Council will provide the information and access required for the review but will not direct the panel’s findings. An initial findings report is expected within six weeks of the panel’s formal appointment.

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Forest & Wood Communities Australia says claims that the new Improved Native Forest Management carbon method provides a settled scientific and economic case for closing NSW native forestry ignore serious unresolved questions about carbon leakage, timber substitution and the governance of the process that produced the method. Source: Timberbiz FWCA Chair Steve Dobbyns said recent comments by former NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Deputy Secretary Atticus Fleming, arguing that forestry scientists should simply “accept the umpire’s decision”, failed to address the substance of growing technical criticism of the INFM Method. “Approval of a methodology does not make the science beyond question,” Mr Dobbyns said. “Forestry Australia’s forest-carbon specialists have warned that the INFM Method could potentially over-credit claimed abatement by 40 to 100 per cent, even before the full consequences of leakage and carbon stored in harvested wood products are taken into account. “Those are serious integrity questions that cannot simply be dismissed as an industry refusing to accept an umpire’s decision.” Plantation pine does not simply replace native hardwood. Mr Dobbyns said Mr Fleming’s claim that declining Australian native forest production had largely been replaced by plantation timber from Australia, New Zealand and Vietnam fundamentally misunderstood the timber market. “Firstly, New Zealand and Vietnam are imports, so citing them as evidence against import leakage is an extraordinary argument,” Mr Dobbyns said. “More importantly, plantation softwood does not simply substitute for native hardwood. “Research led by forest economist Dr Tyron Venn shows plantation softwood is an imperfect substitute for native forest timber and, in many building applications, softwood and hardwood are complementary products rather than interchangeable ones. “You do not replace hardwood flooring, decking, appearance-grade joinery, poles, piles and many structural or durability applications simply by producing more radiata pine. “Venn’s research found that when Australian native forest production falls, demand does not disappear. A substantial proportion of that lost production is displaced into imported timber. “That is the leakage problem the INFM Method has failed to adequately address.” Mr Dobbyns said the climate question therefore could not stop at the State forest boundary. “If NSW stops producing a renewable timber product and Australia then imports a large proportion of the replacement volume, the carbon consequences of those imports have to be counted. “That includes harvesting overseas, processing, international transport and the risk that displaced production occurs in countries with weaker forest governance and poorer environmental standards. “A carbon accounting method that counts the apparent gain in NSW while inadequately accounting for the emissions and forest impacts transferred elsewhere risks creating paper abatement rather than genuine global climate benefit.” Serious governance questions remain. FWCA said Mr Fleming’s intervention also highlighted legitimate questions about the governance of the Great Koala National Park and INFM processes. Mr Fleming was not simply an independent observer of those processes. As a senior executive of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, he chaired key elements of the Great Koala National Park assessment process. NPWS also stood to become the manager of a greatly expanded national park estate if the proposal proceeded. Evidence to NSW Budget Estimates has also established that Mr Fleming and the GKNP steering process were involved in progressing the proposal for Professor Andrew Macintosh and the Australian National University to develop a carbon methodology capable of generating ACCUs from stopping native forest harvesting. The NSW Government subsequently confirmed that development of the carbon method was specifically linked to the proposed Great Koala National Park. “None of that, by itself, proves improper conduct,” Mr Dobbyns said. “But it creates an obvious governance question that deserves a transparent answer. “Was it appropriate for the head of the government agency that stood to become one of the principal beneficiaries of a massive expansion of the national park estate to chair the assessment process, be involved in progressing the carbon-method proposal intended to help fund that outcome, and then publicly advocate ending the industry affected by it? “This is not necessarily a question of personal financial conflict. It is a question of whether competing public duties and institutional interests were properly identified, separated and managed. “Public confidence requires more than simply telling affected communities that the process has reached the desired outcome and they should now accept it.” Fifteen years of credits, a century of consequences. FWCA also questioned claims that carbon income would provide a sustainable replacement for the economic contribution of the native forest industry. The INFM provides a 15-year crediting period, while forest management obligations and the economic consequences of removing productive forests continue for generations. “Carbon credits may generate revenue for 15 years, but managing national parks, maintaining roads and fire access, controlling weeds and pests and protecting communities from wildfire does not stop in year 16,” Mr Dobbyns said. “Nor does Australia stop needing hardwood.” Mr Dobbyns said the integrity test for the INFM should be straightforward. “Count the regrowth that occurs after sustainable harvesting. “Count the carbon that remains stored in harvested wood products. “Count the substitution benefits where timber replaces more emissions-intensive materials. “Count the additional imports. “Count the overseas forest impacts and transport emissions. “And assess the carbon outcome over the life of the forest rather than selecting an accounting period that maximises the number of credits produced. “If the INFM Method still delivers genuine additional abatement after all of those factors are properly accounted for, it should withstand that scrutiny. “But dismissing legitimate scientific criticism and telling forest scientists, workers and regional communities to simply ‘accept the umpire’s decision’ is no substitute for answering the evidence.”

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The Timber, Furnishing and Textiles Union (TFTU) has slammed the Rockliff Government’s push for a parliamentary inquiry into the Rushy Lagoon plantation project as an attack on Tasmanian timber workers and the future of the state’s forestry industry. Source: Timberbiz TFTU Tasmanian Secretary Danny Murphy said the Government had already been warned what the project would mean for workers, industry and regional communities. “Only weeks ago, we wrote to every Tasmanian parliamentarian explaining that Rushy Lagoon was a major win for our industry, workers and communities. “It means greater security of future timber supply, more investment in value-adding and more jobs in planting, harvesting, haulage, sawmilling and manufacturing. “For decades, Tasmanian governments of both political persuasions have given bipartisan support to the forestry industry and the jobs of timber workers. “We are shocked that the Rockliff Government would now take this action and ignore the concerns raised by timber workers and their union.” The final report of Australia’s Timber Fibre Strategy identifies the need for new plantation investment to secure Australia’s future timber supply. It also recognises the role of the ACCU Scheme in making productive commercial plantations viable and the opportunities for forestry and agriculture to work alongside each other. “If the Rockliff Government genuinely supports Tasmania’s timber industry, it should listen to the workers, families and communities that depend on it. “These trees mean jobs. They mean work in our forests, on our roads and in our mills and timber to build Tasmanian homes for decades. “Instead of backing that investment, the Government is establishing an inquiry whose terms put plantation forestry and the Commonwealth policies supporting it under the microscope. “The cat is already out of the bag. Agricultural lobby groups are calling for the inquiry to go beyond Rushy Lagoon and examine the wider policies supporting plantation forestry. “This is no longer just an inquiry into the sale of one farm. The Rockliff Government is opening the door to a broader attack on productive plantation forestry. “Timber workers will not stand by while our industry is demonised and the future resource on which our jobs depend is put at risk. “You cannot claim to support timber workers while putting the plantations their future jobs depend on in the dock. “This is social and economic vandalism dressed up as scrutiny.”

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For more than three decades, Australia’s hardwood plantation industry has been built on a simple but largely successful business model: growing world-class plantation fibre for export to Asia’s pulp mills. It has underpinned regional economies, attracted significant investment and established Australia as one of the world’s most reliable suppliers of hardwood fibre. Source: Tim Woods, lead developer of The Precinct project But global markets are changing and have been for more than a decade. The export model that has served the industry so well is increasingly vulnerable. Recent export data points to more than a temporary downturn. It signals a structural shift in the global fibre market that has reinforced industry’s determination to pursue alternative means to capture value from the nation’s plantation resource. Australian woodchip exports have fallen by more than 10% over the past year, with April export volumes declining 45% compared with the previous month. While commodity markets inevitably fluctuate, the more significant story lies in changing demand from Australia’s largest customer. China’s pulp industry is becoming ever less reliant on imported Australian hardwood fibre. A prolonged slowdown in China’s domestic housing market has released significant volumes of locally sourced fibre into the supply chain, reducing reliance on imported woodchips and enabling manufacturers to produce satisfactory pulp from a lower-cost fibre mix. Vietnam has the market At the same time, competition from Vietnam has intensified. During the first four months of 2026, China’s imports of Vietnamese hardwood chips increased by 20.2% to 4.054 million bone dry metric tonnes (BDMT), while Australian shipments fell 17.7% to just 0.757 million BDMT over the same period. Vietnam now accounts for virtually all of China’s growth in hardwood chip imports, with total Chinese imports increasing 11.4% in early 2026. Meantime, Australian supply went backwards. The competitive landscape is also changing on price. Vietnamese hardwood chips averaged around USD175 FOB/BDMT in April, compared with Australia’s average of US$166 FOB/BDMT. More importantly, Vietnamese suppliers have increased prices by approximately 25% since September 2025 while remaining below the landed cost of Australian fibre in China. Australian export prices have risen by only around 8% over the same period, reflecting weaker market demand and Australia’s diminishing pricing power. This is a structural change For many years, Australian hardwood plantations enjoyed a clear competitive advantage. High-quality Eucalyptus globulus, dependable supply and Australia’s reputation as a politically stable trading partner meant local fibre attracted a premium whenever global pulp markets strengthened. Today that advantage is eroding as Chinese manufacturers diversify supply sources, optimise fibre blends and reduce dependence on Australian imports. Taken together, these trends point to something far more significant than a cyclical downturn. They represent a structural shift in the global fibre market. The critical question for Australia is no longer whether we can compete harder in an increasingly crowded commodity market. It is whether exporting raw fibre is the highest-value use of one of our most important renewable resources. Diversification to meet sovereign needs The same plantation estate is equally capable of producing higher-value engineered wood products that support advanced manufacturing of dwelling components and dwellings, skilled regional employment and sovereign industrial capability. There is no better demonstration of this potential than Stage One of The Precinct project – the Hardwood Timber Manufacturing Hub. The now delivered preliminary feasibility study proves that instead of exporting low-value fibre and importing finished building products, Australia has an opportunity to capture far greater economic value through domestic processing and integration into the built environment. The timing could not be better. As export markets become more competitive, Australia faces an unprecedented housing challenge. Governments across the country are actively pursuing faster, more productive construction methods through prefabrication, modular housing and mass timber construction. The release of the National Housing Strategy at the recent ALP National Conference reinforces the growing policy focus on housing productivity, sovereign manufacturing and modern methods of construction. From plantations, to products, to prefabrication Yet despite this opportunity, Australia continues to import around $1 billion worth of engineered wood products, plywood and wood panels each year, while exporting much of the raw fibre needed to manufacture them. In effect, Australia is exporting the raw material while importing the finished products needed to build homes. This approach captures manufacturing jobs, innovation and economic returns offshore, despite Australia possessing the plantation resource, technical capability, relatively stable and growing domestic market to do that work locally. Shifting from exporting fibre and importing value-added products, Australia has the opportunity to extend an integrated domestic manufacturing sector that converts plantation resources into engineered wood products, prefabricated building systems and integrated dwelling solutions. This is precisely where The Precinct represents a fundamentally different proposition. The Precinct is being designed as an integrated, advanced manufacturing ecosystem that brings together plantation resources, engineered wood products, prefabrication, dwelling component manufacturing and circular economy principles, within a single regional supply chain. Its importance lies in recognising the future for the value chain lies in integrated manufacturing that has a laser focus on delivering dwelling solutions, in the national interest. Importantly, this transition aligns with the direction of government policy. Housing productivity, sovereign manufacturing, regional industrial development and lower-emissions construction are no longer separate policy objectives, they are increasingly part of the same national agenda. Developments to deliver this integrated agenda will define much of Australia’s housing future. The latest export figures should therefore be viewed not as a hurdle for Australia’s plantation industry, but as a catalyst for transformation. Australia has always adapted to changing markets. The next chapter will be led and won by creating more value from our resources, sophisticated and integrated sovereign supply chains that are focussed on delivering the next generation of housing, employment and regional economic resilience.

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The recent sale of Rushy Lagoon has sparked plenty of debate. Unfortunately, some of it is turning into an argument about forestry versus farming, which doesn’t help anyone. Tasmania does not need to choose between forestry and farming. We need both, and we need them working together. Our farmers produce some of the best food and fibre in the world. They employ Tasmanians, support local businesses and keep our regional communities strong. The right to farm is important and it should be protected. The forestry industry agrees with that. But forestry is also a productive use of land. Across Tasmania, farming and forestry have been working side by side for generations. Drive through rural Tasmania and you see it everywhere. Sheep and cattle in one paddock, trees in another. Crops on the flats, plantations on the hills. It isn’t particularly complicated, and until recently it wasn’t particularly controversial. Farmers understand better than most that not every hectare is the same. Different soils, slopes, rainfall and locations suit different uses. That’s why decisions about land use should be based on the land itself, the science and what makes sense for the people who own and manage it. The right tree, in the right place, at the right scale. Provided people meet the rules that apply to them, landowners should be able to decide what they grow on their own land. That principle matters to farming and it matters to forestry too. One part of the current debate that is concerning, is the increasingly negative way pine plantations are being talked about. Pine is a crop. It is planted. It grows. It is harvested. And it is replanted. Tasmanian businesses have been successfully growing plantation pine for decades. Those plantations employ people in our regional communities and support contractors, truck drivers, mechanics, sawmills, manufacturers and plenty of other local businesses. A single hectare of softwood plantation can produce enough timber to build around four houses, manufacture about 700 shipping pallets and supply more than 100 metres of fencing timber. We have a housing shortage. We want to build more homes. We want those homes to be affordable. And we want as much of the money spent building them as possible to stay here, supporting Tasmanian jobs and Tasmanian businesses. For that, we need timber. Plantation forestry also gives landowners another option. On the right land, trees can provide shelter for livestock, help with erosion and soil stability and provide a long-term income stream alongside other farming activities. None of this means every farm should become a plantation. Of course it shouldn’t. Good agricultural land is valuable. Tasmania needs productive farms and successful farmers. Equally, land that is well suited to growing trees should not suddenly be regarded as less productive simply because the crop being grown takes 25 or 30 years rather than a season. People who make their living from the land have a pretty strong incentive to look after it. Their businesses depend on it, and often they hope their children and grandchildren will still be earning a living from that same land decades from now. That long-term view matters in forestry as much as it does in farming. The truck driver carrying timber today might carry agricultural produce tomorrow. The local mechanic fixes machinery from both industries. Both industries use local contractors, shops and services. Tasmania’s future won’t be strengthened by picking winners between two industries that have successfully coexisted for generations. It will be strengthened by experienced landowners making good decisions about their land, backed by good science and sensible rules. There will be places best suited to farming. There will be places best suited to forestry. And there will be plenty of places where the two continue to work side by side. That’s simply how regional Tasmania works. Drew Freeman is CEO of the Tasmanian Forest Products Association

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When people think of Italy, they think of warm beaches and sun-drenched villages but in the north that’s far from the norm. The north has rugged mountains with severe winters, getting caught unawares in this landscape can be fatal. Source: Timberbiz, photos Studio Francesco Faccin That’s where Pancalpina comes to the rescue – the literal translation is alpine bench. Pancalpina is a hybrid object designed for those who experience the mountains. It is a traditional bench, intended for contemplating the landscape, resting, or reflecting, which can transform when needed into a survival kit. Its belly conceals a survival kit and a tent that can be set up using the bench’s own structure. It is not a bivouac or a place for long stays, but rather a minimal shelter for survival while waiting for rescue or for spending a night protected from rain or snow. In its bench configuration, Pancalpina is discreet and non-invasive, made of materials designed to withstand extreme conditions. In emergency form, it becomes a place of safety: inside, users can find essential items such as thermal blankets, a shovel, a torch, and everything needed to set up the tent. The alpine environment remains one of the few areas of truly wild-and at times harsh-nature left in Europe. Any intervention must therefore be respectful and limited capable of preserving a landscape that is only lightly anthropized. Refuges, bivouacs, and benches are among the structures that define these places, becoming true artificial landmarks that help people orient themselves and find protection. Within this context, Pancalpina proposes a new type of object that could, in the future, contribute to experiencing the mountains in a safer yet minimally invasive way. The structure, made of solid larch wood with stainless steel components, ensures durability and resistance to the extreme weather conditions typical of mountain environments. Pancalpina was designed by Studio Francesco Faccin and it was part of a project promoted by Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Italy.

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As PEFC embarks on a comprehensive revision of its system and standards, it is inviting organisations across the forest products supply chain to help inform the process by taking part in its 2026 Market Survey. Source: Timberbiz Conducted every two years, the survey helps better understand what matters most to organisations when it comes to forest certification, responsible sourcing and the market for certified forest-based products. This year, the survey also serves as an early consultation for the PEFC system revision. Your feedback will help inform discussions on how the PEFC system and standards can continue to meet evolving market, regulatory and sustainability expectations. Whether you’re a retailer, brand owner, manufacturer, supplier, PEFC-certified company, or source PEFC-certified materials, PEFC would like you to share your perspectives. The survey takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. Some questions will only be shown where they are relevant to your organisation. The survey covers a range of topics, including: The value and performance of PEFC certification Market demand and future growth opportunities Sustainability impact data, traceability and supply chain integrity Training, tools and implementation support Sustainability reporting and regulatory developments Priorities for the future development of the PEFC system.   As a thank you for participating, you can also choose to receive an advance summary of the survey findings and an invitation to an online briefing on the results. At the end of the survey, select this option and provide your email address if you would like to receive these updates. Your email address will be collected solely for this purpose. PEFC International and/or the relevant PEFC national member may use it to contact you with the advance survey summary and invitation to the online briefing. It will not be shared with other third parties. The survey closes on 26 August 2026. You can access the survey here. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3WY7SQT If you have any questions email info@pefc.org

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As the Government of Canada moves ahead with a rail freight support plan for Canadian steel, Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) has welcomed the decision by the federal government to address cost pressures in the national transportation system and its recognition that Canada’s forest products industry requires a separate path forward. Source: Timberbiz Canada’s forest sector supports nearly 200,000 employees across hundreds of forest-dependent communities from coast to coast. It supplies the renewable materials needed to build homes and infrastructure, strengthens domestic supply chains, and contributes to Canada’s economic and export strength. As the industry works to build more homes and infrastructure with Canadian wood, diversify and grow export markets, and strengthen the prospects for Canadian forest sector employees and their families, getting transportation policy right is key. To demonstrate the importance of rail service and supply chain cost competitiveness to Canada’s forest products sector, an average forest products shipment travels roughly 1,200 kilometres over land. Nearly 90% of FPAC member mills are served by only one railway, limiting practical alternatives for long-distance movements. Rail remains the backbone to move forest products from mills to major domestic markets and international gateways. We must find ways to improve rail system reliability and cost competitiveness. FPAC analysis finds that rail costs can represent 20–25% of typical delivered product value, or Can$2–3 billion annually for the forest products sector. This is roughly equivalent to 15% of the industry’s annual real GDP and 50% of its current annual capital and repair expenditures. “Canada’s railways are essential partners in moving forest products across the country and in helping us bring more Canadian forest products to the world,” said Derek Nighbor, FPAC President and CEO. “We appreciate the government’s recognition that steel and forest products face fundamentally different market dynamics and that the path forward for forestry should reflect the distinct needs of our sector. We’re not looking for band-aid solutions here. We’re looking for measures that will improve the system and cost competitiveness for the long-term. “Governments in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Australia have all been working to find creative ways to promote rail use and address rail costs in their markets. We are pleased to see that the federal government recognizes the importance of supply chain reliability and the need to reduce costs across the system. “While Canada’s major industrial sectors have many common rail-related challenges and opportunities, we also face different realities. We welcome the federal government’s intention to get this right for the long-term and look forward to working with them and our railway partners to make our industry more competitive and protect and grow Canadian forestry jobs.”

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A large contingent of firefighters has left New Zealand for the United States of America to support the response to wildfires in the north-west of the country. Source: Timberbiz Fire and Emergency New Zealand is leading the deployment, which includes crews from the Department of Conservation, the forestry industry and the New Zealand Defence Force alongside volunteer and career firefighters and incident management personnel. Fire and Emergency Deputy National Commander Megan Stiffler says the diverse membership of the contingent reflects the strength of New Zealand’s firefighting capability and the longstanding relationships that underpin it. Of the 57 personnel, 43 are from Fire and Emergency, four from DOC, five from forestry companies and five from NZDF. “New Zealand is better prepared when all of our firefighting partners train, exercise and deploy together,” Megan Stiffler said. “Having depth in our response capability to manage simultaneous large incidents in New Zealand requires specialist skills from across the sector. “The strong relationships that enable that cooperation and coordination are on display as the members of our joint taskforce from around the country mobilise in preparation for their departure to the United States tomorrow.” Jarron McInnes from Manulife in Rotorua, is deploying as a Crew Leader with the forestry sector’s specialist crew. He has previously deployed to fight wildfires in Canada and Australia and says that forestry-trained firefighters have worked with Fire and Emergency in overseas deployments for decades, bringing specialised chainsaw skills and expertise. Forestry workers are tough and used to extreme conditions. “But it’s their chainsaw skills where they really shine – tree felling, cutting fire breaks and fire lines,” Mr McInnes said. DOC’s Wildfire and Field Skills Manager Brent Swanson says DOC is pleased to send four experienced firefighters as part of the New Zealand team. “The four DOC personnel have been selected based on their extensive wildfire suppression experience in New Zealand and internationally, as well as their specialist expertise in advanced and hazardous tree felling. It’s also a great opportunity for our crews to build on their experience and gain further learnings from our overseas colleagues, to improve our response to wildfires in New Zealand,” Mr Swanson said. Staff Sergeant Matthew Anker, Fire Master at 4 Emergency Response Troop (Waiouru) said that the deployment is closely aligned with what the soldiers train for. They are experienced in wildfire response and accustomed to operating in demanding environments as part of a coordinated multi-agency team. “It is an opportunity for them to apply those skills in support of our international partners, while gaining further experience that will strengthen our response capability at home,” he said. Ms Stiffler says that a huge effort goes into sending a large deployment overseas. “Our deployment coordinators in each region have been working with our National Coordination Centre team for weeks to make sure that the people put forward for selection meet all the criteria to be eligible for a deployment. That includes checking their experience, qualifications and fitness align with the host country’s requirements and our own rigorous standards. “Coordinating travel for 57 people from around the country is no easy task, and our logistics team in Auckland have been working for days to assemble the additional kit that the team needs to take with them.” The team will be taking on multiple roles, ranging from firefighters and fire engine crews to chainsaw specialists, and including incident management roles such as helibase managers, logistics and liaison officers. The firefighters are experienced working in arduous conditions, including steep terrain and high temperatures, and living in fire camps in remote areas. Two other deployments are already on the ground in the US and Canada, with five Incident Management personnel working on fires in Washington State and Oregon and six in British Columbia. Ms Stiffler says that the experience gained working on large, complex fires is invaluable to New Zealand’s own rural firefighting and incident management capability.

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Systemic shortcomings in the state’s emergency response was a major finding of the Victorian parliament committee looking into the 2026 Victorian summer fires which tabled its report last week. Source: Australian Rural & Regional News Around 440,000 hectares was burned by the January fires including 120,000 hectares in the Walwa fire and more than 130,000 hectares in the Longwood fire. One person died and 451 homes were lost along with 1,110 outbuildings and 45,000 livestock deaths were recorded. Seventy-four homes were also lost in the fire that quickly swept through the central Victorian town of Harcourt. The report, compiled by the Legislative Council Environment and Planning Committee, heard about a number of issues relating to the cause of the fires and emergency services response; making 80 recommendations in all. The ABC reported that it highlighted “systemic shortcomings” with “fuel management, emergency communications, animal welfare response, infrastructure resilience, volunteer support, recovery coordination and community recovery.” Some of the terms of reference for the committee included considering “preparation and planning by government” and other agencies and the community, “funding, equipment and appliances” for firefighters, “resilience of critical services and infrastructure” and the “prevalence of misinformation”. The inquiry was also tasked with reviewing findings from “previous inquiries, reports and Royal Commissions” and looking at what progress had been made. A total of 480 submissions were made to the inquiry which also held a number of public hearings. The Nationals’ Member for Northern Victoria, Gaelle Broad, is a member of the committee which conducted the inquiry and heard harrowing first-hand stories from those involved in the fires. “The devastating 2026 summer bushfires were not simply the result of extreme weather – they were the consequence of years of poor planning, under-investment and repeated warnings to the government that went unheeded,” Ms Broad said. “The findings of the inquiry make it clear that what unfolded on the firegrounds reflected a decade of policy, governance and preparedness failures that left regional communities exposed. “Throughout the inquiry, communities shared heartbreaking stories of courage, sacrifice and frustration. Brigades described pleading for backup that never arrived. Some volunteers served on the fireground for 38 consecutive days. “Telecommunications and power failures left entire communities isolated without emergency warnings or reliable information. Families feared loved ones had been lost because they simply could not make contact. “Farmers were forced to ration feed to starving livestock, while teenagers were left to euthanise injured animals. “Local councils were expected to lead recovery efforts but were left waiting for funding while trying to support devastated communities. “More than six months later, many communities are still waiting for the recovery they were promised,” Ms Broad added. The report also found that operational Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteers had declined by 26 per cent over a decade and recommended the Emergency Management Commissioner commission an external review into declining volunteer numbers. It also called for the government to commit to an “accelerated replacement of all CFA single cab frontline firefighting tankers”, finding that 802 single-cab tankers were still operational and 650 of those tankers carried members in rear seating that exposed them to the elements. Another key finding was that some residents who stayed to defend their properties had become ineligible for government assistance. The report also found that the process for people accessing relief payments was “complex and administratively burdensome” and called on the government to review the support packages and eligibility requirements for disaster payments. One positive from the inquiry is that the VicEmergency app was found to be “highly effective” as a mass communication tool and the committee suggested it may have contributed to the low fatality numbers from the fires. However, the committee also found that inconsistencies in the app’s messaging along with usability issues “contributed to community confusion” and called on Emergency Management Victoria to prioritise updates. The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has also called on the government to deliver action, not another report documenting the same failures that farmers have been warning governments about for years. VFF President Ryan Milgate said Victorian farmers are tired of paying the price for poor public land management and woefully under-resourced emergency services. “Every summer, farmers are the ones on the frontline protecting their families, livestock, neighbours and communities,” Mr Milgate said. “We continue to bear the brunt of decisions made from Spring Street and worst all of, we are left to pick up the pieces long after the fires are put out. “The reality is the government has been told what needs to change and these recommendations already exist. The question is why they haven’t been acted on?” The VFF’s submission to the Inquiry reinforced long-standing calls for practical fuel management at the public-private land boundary, greater investment in the CFA and stronger frontline firefighting capability that recognises the unique impacts bushfires have on agricultural businesses. “These findings will rub salt into the wound into CFA volunteers already seething from the outrageous Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund tax-grab,” Mr Milgate said. The Victorian government now has six months to respond to the report.

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The Housing Industry Association (HIA) has welcomed the interim report of the Senate Select Committee on Productivity in Australia, saying it confirms housing affordability and supply are now critical determinants of the nation’s economic performance. Source: Timberbiz HIA Managing Director Jocelyn Martin said the report recognises that Australia’s housing challenges can no longer be viewed solely through a housing policy lens. “The committee has recognised a reality that has become impossible to ignore: you can’t fix housing affordability without fixing productivity, and you can’t fix productivity without fixing regulation,” Ms Martin said. “Housing affordability and supply are fundamentally productivity challenges and must be viewed through that prism.” Ms Martin said HIA was encouraged by the report’s conclusion that housing affordability is a structural determinant of productivity performance. “Housing is no longer simply a single policy issue. It increasingly shapes labour mobility, workforce participation, business investment and national competitiveness.” She said Australia’s housing shortage had become a significant economic constraint. “Australia’s housing shortage is now a persistent macroeconomic constraint rather than a cyclical sectoral issue,” said Ms Martin. The report’s recommendations on housing finance, macroprudential regulation, National Construction Code reform, pattern books, planning and environmental approvals, infrastructure delivery, EPBC approvals and WHS accreditation recognise the need to address regulatory barriers that are constraining housing supply and economic growth. Ms Martin said the Productivity Commission had already highlighted the scale of the challenge. “The Productivity Commission has found that the number of homes completed per hour worked has fallen by 53 per cent. That should concern every government in Australia because we are delivering fewer homes relative to the resources being committed.” “The question is not whether the industry is less capable, but where effort is being directed. “An increasing share of industry resources was being absorbed by regulatory compliance rather than housing delivery. “Resources are increasingly consumed by approvals processes, changing codes, specialist reports and navigating multiple layers of government requirements. “Too much effort is being directed towards administering process rather than delivering outcomes.” “Every additional approval, assessment and compliance requirement adds cost, delay and uncertainty to new housing.” HIA welcomed the committee’s recognition that housing projects are affected by multiple regulatory systems that are rarely designed or administered as a single framework. “Housing delivery is not determined by any one approval. It depends on how effectively planning systems, environmental approvals, infrastructure provision, finance settings and building regulations work together. “The cumulative effect of these systems is increasing housing costs and reducing the industry’s capacity to meet demand.” Ms Martin said the committee’s support for pattern books, National Construction Code reform, improved access to EPBC approvals and stronger coordination across approval systems reflected the practical reforms needed to improve productivity while maintaining standards. “Improving productivity does not mean lowering standards. “It means ensuring regulation is proportionate, coordinated, evidence-based and focused on delivering genuine public value. Ms Martin said the committee’s findings reinforced a conclusion long identified by industry. “If we want more affordable homes, we need a more productive housing system. “That means reducing duplication, improving coordination and removing unnecessary regulatory barriers. “The Senate Committee has recognised that housing and productivity are inseparable. The challenge now is turning that recognition into meaningful reform,” Ms Martin said.

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Tasmania’s farming body TasFarmers has welcomed the Government’s announcement of an inquiry into the sale of the state’s largest farm, Rushy Lagoon. Source: Timberbiz TasFarmers President Nathan Cox said the process was clearly inappropriate, advantaged a foreign-backed buyer over Australian agricultural interests and failed to give sufficient weight to food security. “An inquiry is needed to ensure this can never happen again,” Mr Cox said. “There are better ways to invest $142 million in Northern Tasmania, ways that strengthen agriculture, create lasting regional jobs and increase food production instead of displacing it. “The real question is not whether forestry is more virtuous than dairy or beef production. It is why scarce taxpayer-backed capital was used to repurpose one of Tasmania’s most productive agricultural assets into an instrument of government climate policy. “A fraction of the Commonwealth’s $69 million investment could have supported modern dairies, smart irrigation, processing facilities, soil improvement and new agricultural technology, producing more food from the same land and lifting regional productivity. “Instead of investing in better agriculture, the Commonwealth backed a different use of the land altogether.” Mr Cox said the Commonwealth committed substantial taxpayer backing to the buyer’s project before deciding whether the foreign acquisition should be allowed to proceed. “It became financially invested in an outcome it was later required to assess. That is inexcusable and raises serious questions about the independence and integrity of the process.” Despite pressure to block the foreign acquisition of Tasmania’s largest farm for conversion into a major tree plantation generating timber and carbon credits, Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers approved the sale. “Taxpayer-backed support helped place the Gresham House-managed buyer in a stronger position than Australian agricultural interests seeking to retain the property for farming,” Mr Cox said. “Rushy Lagoon could have delivered greater and more enduring economic value through dairy, beef and broader agricultural production. “The description of Rushy Lagoon as degraded or marginal farmland does not reflect its history as one of Tasmania’s largest integrated farming enterprises. “Pasture can be improved through better soil management, rotational grazing, irrigation and investment. Farmers across Australia have transformed underperforming land through relatively modest investments in fencing, water infrastructure, soil health and technology. “The answer to land requiring investment should not automatically be to remove it from food production,” said Mr Cox. Mr Cox further stated the Federal Government continued to fuel the debate with the misleading claims that Rushy Lagoon was simply a private land sale and will result in 190 jobs. “Calling it a private sale ignores the substantial taxpayer-backed finance supporting the buyer. “This was not the normal operation of a private market. Public capital helped finance the buyer, public grant funding supported the planned plantation, and federal approval enabled the foreign acquisition. “The community has already expressed a clear view. In a TasFarmers survey of 328 respondents, 99% opposed the government-subsidised sale to a foreign-owned interest and 98% opposed using government funds to purchase or convert productive agricultural land into plantation forestry. “Public money is now helping convert productive agricultural land into carbon forestry while placing existing dairy, beef-processing, contracting and regional jobs at risk. “The claim that Rushy Lagoon conversion to forestry will create 190 jobs is a fairy tale. While there may be short-term work during plantation establishment, the number of permanent local jobs is likely to be fewer than five, when compared to more than 100 ongoing jobs the property could support under intensive agricultural production. “This is a clear example of government policy directing investment away from immediate agricultural production and towards a carbon project whose claimed economic benefits will be delivered over decades. “The scheme also risks creating a perverse cycle in which productive Australian farmland is converted into carbon credits so major emitters can continue emitting, while Australia becomes increasingly dependent on cheaper imported food that competes directly with our farmers,” Mr Cox said. The Tasmania Natural Asset Trust, managed by Gresham House, was established just six days before applications for the Support Plantation Establishment Program closed, and before it owned Rushy Lagoon. It was subsequently awarded an $8.8 million taxpayer-funded grant to establish 5,194.7 hectares of softwood plantation. The grant was awarded before the Foreign Investment Review Board approved the acquisition, although the funding had not yet been released. The project also received a $69 million investment commitment from the taxpayer-owned Clean Energy Finance Corporation as part of the $142 million investment platform. “This is the central scandal now plaguing the Rushy Lagoon sale,” Mr Cox said. “It was never merely a private transaction. Commonwealth investment, federal grant funding, foreign-investment approval and carbon policy were all instrumental in enabling the proposed conversion of Tasmania’s largest farm. “This inquiry must determine how scarce public capital came to be used against Australian agricultural interests, whether the funding and approval processes were genuinely independent, and how productive farmland can be protected from government-backed market distortion in the future.”

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Artificial intelligence, predictive analytics and digital technologies are set to play an increasingly important role in Queensland’s forest and timber industry, with two of the 2026–2027 Timber Queensland Growth Scholarship recipients undertaking projects that explore how emerging technologies can improve workplace safety, product quality and manufacturing efficiency. Source: Timberbiz Timber Queensland has announced the recipients of the 2026–2027 Growth Scholarship Awards Program, which supports individuals pursuing learning and development opportunities that will strengthen both their careers and Queensland’s forest and timber industry. Timber Queensland General Manager Strategic Relations & Communications Manager Clarissa Brandt said this year’s recipients highlight an industry embracing innovation while continuing to invest in practical skills, leadership development and workforce capability. “Queensland’s forest and timber industry has always been built on innovation, and this year’s scholarship recipients demonstrate how technology, research and workforce development will help shape our future,” said Ms Brandt. “From artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to training the next generation of forestry workers and developing future operational leaders, these projects show an industry prepared to embrace new ways of working while remaining focused on people. “The scholarships support individuals with ambitious ideas that have the potential to create broader benefits for businesses, workers and the wider forest and timber supply chain.” The recipients of the 2026–2027 Awards are: $10,000 Kennedy’s Timber Award to Isaiah Denman Learning Project: Beyond the Physical: Leveraging Data and AI to Predict and Prevent Psychosocial Hazards in the Timber Industry $5,000 AKD Award to Zidi Yan Learning Project: AI Driven Treatability Prediction for Queensland Softwood Processing $5,000 HQPlantations Award to Jackson Smith Learning Project: Certificate III in Forest Operations plus Business and People Management Units $2,500 DTM Timber Award to Ian Goldie Learning Project: Certificate IV Training and Assessment Upgrade   As the recipient of the Kennedy’s Timber Award, Isaiah Denman, Health, Safety and Environment Coordinator at AKD Caboolture, will investigate how artificial intelligence, Power BI, predictive analytics and psychosocial health and safety frameworks can be used to identify workplace risks before incidents occur. His project aims to create more proactive approaches to managing fatigue, burnout and psychological health in industrial workplaces. “I want to help demonstrate that a traditional industry like timber can use emerging technologies to improve both physical and psychological safety outcomes,” said Mr Denman. “Ultimately, my goal is to help create workplaces that identify risks early, protect people and support a healthier, more sustainable workforce.” AKD Award recipient Zidi Yan, a researcher specialising in timber structures and durability, will explore how artificial intelligence, computer vision and machine learning can improve timber treatment quality assurance. The project will include participation in either the International Research Group on Wood Protection (IRG) conference or the World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE) and visits to timber treatment and processing facilities to investigate how AI tools can support decision-making before timber enters the treatment process. By analysing timber characteristics such as sapwood, heartwood, density and visible defects, the project aims to help processors better predict treatment outcomes, reduce waste and improve manufacturing efficiency. “The timber industry has a significant opportunity to harness artificial intelligence and digital technologies in practical ways that improve productivity and confidence in timber products,” said Mr Yan. “My goal is to bring back knowledge, industry connections and practical ideas that can help Queensland timber processors make better and more informed decisions.” HQPlantations Award recipient Jackson Smith will undertake a Certificate III in Forest Operations combined with specialist business operations and people management training. Having grown up in a family with deep connections to the forest and timber industry, Mr Smith is seeking to build the skills needed to progress into future supervisory and leadership roles. His learning project will develop technical operational knowledge, business management capability and leadership skills to support both his personal career development and the mentoring of younger workers entering the industry. “The forestry industry is something I have always been passionate about and I want to build a long-term career within it,” said Mr Smith. “This opportunity will help me develop the skills to become a stronger leader and contribute to attracting and supporting the next generation of forestry workers.” DTM Timber Award recipient Mr Goldie, a trainer and assessor with more than three decades of forestry experience, will upgrade his Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to ensure his skills remain aligned with current national vocational education standards. Mr Goldie’s project will strengthen his ability to deliver industry training and support Sunchip Group’s innovative simulator-based training program, which is used to engage school students and future workers with careers in forestry. “One of the most important challenges facing our industry is developing the workforce needed for the future,” said Mr Goldie. “Maintaining contemporary training qualifications will help me continue supporting new entrants to the industry and build the skills our sector needs to remain strong and sustainable.” Ms Brandt said the breadth of this year’s projects demonstrates the industry’s commitment to future-focused thinking. “Whether it’s applying AI to improve safety and manufacturing performance, developing future leaders, or strengthening workforce training, these projects will deliver benefits well beyond the individual recipients,” she said. “The ongoing support of our Foundation Partner Kennedy’s Timber, Diamond Partners AKD and HQPlantations, and Ruby Partner DTM Timber ensures the Growth Scholarship Program continues to help develop the talented people who will drive Queensland’s forest and timber industry into the future.”

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Tasmania’s farmers, forest landowners and rural communities are being encouraged to have their say on the future operation of the Forest Practices Regulations, with public consultation now open. Source: Timberbiz Minister for Business, Industry and Resources, Felix Ellis, said the Regulations are an important part of Tasmania’s forest management framework and affect how many landowners manage their properties. “Whether you’re a farmer, a forest grower, or manage land, these Regulations play a role in how you use and manage your property,” Minister Ellis said. “We want to hear directly from the people who deal with the system day-to-day about what’s working well and where improvements could be made. “We know these Regulations play a role in the way many Tasmanian farmers and landowners manage their land, so we’re providing plenty of time for people to have their say. “Feedback will be considered as it is received, and if there are immediate improvements that can be made, we will take action.” In addition to an online consultation portal, consultation will be undertaken directly with farmers, forest growers, industry groups, councils and other stakeholders over the coming months to better understand their experiences with the current rules and identify opportunities for improvement. Consultation will also help inform future improvements to the Regulations while the Government continues to assess potential impacts from the Australian Government’s national environmental law reforms. “While the Regulations must be remade before they expire in April 2027, they can be amended at any time,” Minister Ellis said. “Feedback received through this consultation will help inform future improvements, ensuring the Regulations remain practical, effective and fit for purpose. “Our goal is to create a system that strikes the right balance by supporting productive farming and forestry, providing certainty for landowners and communities, and safeguarding our natural resources for future generations.” Tasmanians can provide feedback through the online consultation portal here. Consultation closes on 31 March 2027.

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The Softwoods Working Group (SWG) is calling for an immediate $18 million commitment to regional road upgrades, putting transport infrastructure at the centre of a five-point campaign it will take to candidates ahead of the 2027 NSW election.   Source: Tumbarumba Times The group’s Securing and Growing – Plantation Timber Possibilities for the South West Slopes NSW roadmap argues further investment is needed to support an industry it says provides more than 5500 regional jobs and contributes almost $2.3 billion to the regional economy each year. Alongside road infrastructure, the road map seeks action on bushfire preparedness, blackberry management, investment in new plantations and the potential establishment of a Strategic Plantation Economic Zone. SWG executive officer Carlie Porteous said improving regional roads was a priority given the volume of freight generated by the industry. “The region moves a significant amount of product, up to 5.7m tonnes per year,” Ms Porteous said. “In order to do this safely and more efficiently, we would encourage the NSW government and candidates to the upcoming election to look at the need for better regional road funding and give consideration to the Regional Local Government preparedness program which aims to level the playing field for small regional councils to access funding for critical infrastructure upgrades.” The $18 million road package includes proposed works on Batlow Road, Bombowlee Creek Road and Wagga-Tumbarumba Road. “There are a number of bridges that we have had independently assessed for safety and volume of traffic and are considered as ‘urgent’,” Ms Porteous said. “These three bridges; Blue Cut Bridge, Jacksons Bridge and Glenroy Bridge are too narrow with limited visibility on entry. “We have real concerns about the safety of all users of these bridges.” The roadmap also proposes overtaking lanes at three sections of Batlow Road and upgrades to a section of Wagga-Tumbarumba Road, with the broader package aimed at improving safety and freight efficiency for local commuters, visitors and heavy industry traffic. SWG is also proposing a Regional LGA Road Funding Preparedness trial, which would provide participating councils with up to $400,000 each year for surveys, designs, environmental assessments, cultural heritage studies and road safety audits needed to make infrastructure projects “shovel ready”. The roadmap argues regional councils in the South West Slopes manage between 82 and 186 metres of road network per resident, compared with two to three metres per resident in metropolitan councils, leaving them at a disadvantage when preparing projects for infrastructure funding. Ms Porteous said the campaign was intended to address broader community concerns as well as the needs of the timber sector. “The SWG has a unique membership that includes local government hence all our asks not only address industry concern, but concerns of the community,” she said. “There are community critical asks in our election document such as better management and coordination of blackberries, better bushfire outcomes and safer local roads.” On bushfire preparedness, the roadmap calls for a permanent plantation timber representative on the Bushfire Coordination Committee, greater recognition of plantation assets in bushfire risk management plans, continued funding for the NSW Fire Trails Policy and the removal of barriers preventing plantation forestry crews assisting across different land tenures during fires. The campaign also seeks more coordinated management of invasive blackberries, measures to encourage investment in new plantation timber and consideration of a Strategic Plantation Economic Zone for the South West Slopes. Such a zone would identify suitable locations for plantation development and coordinate planning, infrastructure, regulation and government spending on issues including transport, fire and weeds. Ms Porteous said SWG had launched the campaign document to its members on 7 August and would seek to put its proposals before all sides of government and as many candidates as possible ahead of the election. “The SWG values its ongoing relationship with the NSW government and will happily work closely with the next NSW government on practical and solutions-based outcomes,” she said.

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