| Date |
Story |
| 21 Dec 2006 | Federal Government must guarantee future certainty of forest industry
NAFI calls on the Federal Government to work closely with State Governments and industry stakeholders to ensure the intentions of Australia’s Regional Forest Agreements (RFA’s) are maintained |
| 21 Dec 2006 | Forest industry welcomes funding under Tasmanian Community Forestry Agreement
NAFI welcomes the latest announcement of funding under the Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement (TCFA) |
| 21 Dec 2006 | Forest industry welcomes Government approach to taxation of plantation forestry investment
NAFI welcomes the Australian Government’s announcement of new arrangements for the taxation of investment in tree plantations |
| 19 Dec 2006 | UK Government approves Australian forest management standard
Australia’s leader in forest certification, the Australian Forestry Standard (AFS), has today received a tick of approval by the UK Government |
| 19 Dec 2006 | Funding for further forestry education welcomed by industry
$8 million Australian Government education package has included funding for a National Professional Forestry Coursework Masters Programme |
| 18 Dec 2006 | NAFI welcomes Kevin Rudd’s sensible approach to forest industry issues
NAFI welcomes comments made by Opposition Leader, Kevin Rudd MP, that he will consider the views of the community, industry, unions and the Tasmanian Government about the future of the Tasmanian forestry industry |
| 13 Dec 2006 | AFS leading the nation in forest certification
As the manager of over 2.6 million hectares of State forests, Forests NSW brings the total forest area in Australia certified under the AFS to over 8 million hectares |
| 13 Dec 2006 | NAFI welcomes new Shadow Forestry Minister, Kerry O’Brien, and thanks Martin Ferguson
NAFI welcomes the appointment of Senator Kerry O’Brien as the new Shadow Minister for Forestry, and thanks Martin Ferguson AO MP for his services |
| 08 Dec 2006 | History repeats itself with destruction of national parks
Vic and NSW are this week enduring one of the worst and most destructive periods of wildfires in their national parks |
| 03 Dec 2006 | South Coast NSW timber communities celebrate million tonne milestone
NAFI member South East Fibre Exports (SEFE) achieves a record export figure of one million tonnes of woodchips from sustainably managed forests in 2006 |
| 14 Nov 2006 | Tracking timber: Standards Australia recognises ‘Chain of Custody’ certification
Chain of custody product certification will provide purchasers of wood products a mechanism to trace products back to their origin |
| 08 Nov 2006 | NAFI welcomes new Chairman for FWPRDC
NAFI welcomes the appointment of West Australian Mr Ron Adams as Chairman of the Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation (FWPRDC) |
| 07 Nov 2006 | Forestry an “inconvenient truth” for the Greens
Australian Greens have been thoroughly exposed as political opportunists after their claims, that forestry is adding to climate change, were quashed in the Senate |
| 02 Nov 2006 | Australia poised to axe overseas illegal logging
NAFI welcomes Australian Government discussion paper on overseas illegal logging |
| 02 Nov 2006 | NAFI welcomes new Chairman for world’s leading forest certification network
NAFI has welcomed the newly elected Chairman of the world’s largest international forest certification body, the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) |
| 31 Oct 2006 | Stern message: Tree plantations reduce climate change
The Stern report shows Australia has an opportunity to lead the world in addressing climate change by encouraging the development of tree plantations and the use of timber products |
| 26 Oct 2006 | Forest industry welcomes new research and promotion company
NAFI welcomes the announcement that the Federal Government has approved the formation of a new company to promote the timber industry |
| 23 Oct 2006 | NAFI welcomes review of forest certification
The Australian Government will consider commissioning a formal review into forestry certification issues |
| 19 Oct 2006 | Passive park management plus drought conditions equal wildfires
NAFI to appear before Senate Inquiry investigating the management of forest areas within Australia’s national parks system |
| 17 Oct 2006 | NAFI welcomes moves for a more balanced ABC
NAFI played a significant role in bringing about ABC’s decision to introduce new standards of impartiality to deal with allegations of bias |
| 26 Sep 2006 | NAFI submission: Tasmanian pulp mill to benefit national economy
NAFI has made a submission to the Tasmanian Resource Planning and Development Commission (RPDC) on Gunns Ltd’s IIS for its proposed pulp mill in Tasmania |
| 22 Sep 2006 | Educating our children on sustainable forestry
A CD for children has been released on the sustainabilty of the Australian forest industry |
| 15 Sep 2006 | Government must allow industry voice on NRAC
NAFI has written to the NSW Natural Resources Minister, Ian Macdonald, requesting its inclusion on the Natural Resources Advisory Council (NRAC) |
| 13 Sep 2006 | Greens support for Dutton proposal
Greens support for Dutton proposal confirms it will be negative for industry and rural Australia |
| 08 Sep 2006 | Support for plantations essential for the future of the forest industry
Gunns pulp mill support should be extended to the continued development of the plantation resource |
| 06 Sep 2006 | NAFI calls for calm: Pulp mill is above politics
A pulp mill for Tasmania is a project of national significance which will reduce the nation’s $2 billion trade deficit in forest and wood products |
| 28 Aug 2006 | Further consultation welcomed, but industry security still not assured
NAFI welcomes NSW Government decision to delay the state’s Draft Code of Practice for Private Native Forestry |
| 22 Aug 2006 | Report identifies measures to address forest industry skills shortages
Results of research into the skills shortages faced by the wood and paper products industry have been released |
| 17 Aug 2006 | Draft code for private native forests in NSW will degrade environmental values
Rather than promoting sustainable forest management, the draft NSW PNF code will result in serious environmental as well as socio-economic consequences |
| 11 Aug 2006 | TCFA funding makes retooling sawmills a reality
Funding allocations assist the Tasmanian forest industry adjust to changes in resource arising from the Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement (TCFA) |
| 09 Aug 2006 | Australian native timbers key feature of new National Portrait Gallery
PM unveils plaque to mark the start of construction of new National Portrait Gallery, which will feature an array of native timbers |
| 03 Aug 2006 | Socio-economic study of tree plantation regions kicks off
New research program into the socio-economic impacts of land use change in key plantation regions |
| 30 Jul 2006 | Congratulations to Planet Ark for ‘hands on’ conservation
Congratulations Planet Ark and the 350,000 volunteers who will plant one and a half million native trees and shrubs on both Schools Tree Day and National Tree |
| 28 Jul 2006 | Four Corners and ABC caught out on biased reporting
The forest industry has been vindicated by the Australian media watchdog’s findings against the ABC’s Four Corners program ‘Lords of the Forests’ |
| 19 Jul 2006 | Toolkit for trees a boost for environment and water quality
A toolkit to draw together the scientific research on tree plantation site selection into a single, comprehensive framework |
| 14 Jul 2006 | Pulp mill project to create thousands of new jobs
NAFI has welcomed the release of Gunns Ltd’s Integrated Impact Statement (IIS) for the proposed $1.4 billion Tasmanian pulp mill |
| 14 Jul 2006 | Industry recommends caution in proposed new forestry MIS tax arrangements
Whole-of-industry submission on the Australian Government’s proposed future tax arrangements for forestry managed investment schemes (MIS) has been lodged |
| 10 Jul 2006 | Latest allocation of Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement funding welcomed
NAFI welcomes the second round of funding allocations to assist the Tasmanian forest industry to adjust to changes in its resource base |
| 26 Jun 2006 | NAFI to build Australia - China timber links
NAFI will receive funding from the Australian government to boost relationships between Australia and China in timber certification issues |
| 22 Jun 2006 | NSW and Victorian Timber Industry ‘rail-roaded’ by sleeper decision
Recent budget funding announcements will destroy the NSW timber industry through major reductions in timber sleeper production |
| 13 Jun 2006 | Forest industry attentive to worker health and safety
The forest industry is concerned about report on the possibility that a high proportion of workers in the industry are being exposed to carcinogens |
| 09 Jun 2006 | Forest industry employment levels still strong
Despite the Green's efforts against it, employment in the Tasmanian forest industry continues to be strong |
| 08 Jun 2006 | NAFI welcomes first round of grants under Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement
NAFI welcomes first round of grant allocations under the restructuring package for the Tasmanian forest products processing sector |
| 04 Jun 2006 | World Environment Day: Time for Greens to focus on real issues
World Environment Day is an opportunity for the Greens to focus their efforts on real environmental issues |
| 02 Jun 2006 | Shadow Minister’s support for forest industry welcomed
NAFI welcomes the recent statements by the Shadow Minister for Forestry on issues such as building energy efficiency ratings and support for the Australian Forestry Standard |
| 01 Jun 2006 | Japan counts AFS products as legal and sustainable for public procurement
Japanese government includes Australian Forestry Standard (AFS) certified products as legal and sustainable in new Public Procurement Policy |
| 31 May 2006 | Forest industry supports Minister’s plans to develop strategy on addressing illegal logging
Forestry Minister, Senator the Hon Eric Abetz, has announced the Federal Government will unveil plans to reduce imports of illegally harvested forest products |
| 19 May 2006 | Tax certainty essential for sustained plantation investment
Statistics show Australians have increased their consumption of sawn timber and paper products by 25% over the past 4 years - sustained plantation investment is essential to meeting this demand |
| 11 May 2006 | Loss of valued forest industry leader
John Sparkes was an important and influential forest industry figure |
| 10 May 2006 | New Deputy CEO for NAFI and CEO of Tree Plantations Australia
Mr Allan Hansard has been appointed the new Deputy CEO of NAFI and the CEO of Tree Plantations Australia (TPA) |
| 09 May 2006 | NAFI welcomes Budget decision to seek forest industry views on MIS
Federal Government will seek the views of the forest industry sector in considering the future taxation arrangements for forestry Managed Investment Schemes (MIS) |
| 09 May 2006 | Plantation industry welcomes further industry consultation on post-FY 2008 tax arrangements
Plantation industry associations have welcomed the Government’s announcement that it will hold further industry consultations before deciding whether to apply new tax arrangements for plantation forestry |
| 02 May 2006 | NSW Government gets it right - Total Environment Centre gets it wrong
Announcement by NSW Planning Minister, Frank Sartor, that a review of the Government’s energy efficiency ratings scheme will be undertaken |
| 30 Apr 2006 | Victorian Govt announces 5-star extension
12-month extension means Victorian homes constructed with a timber sub-floor will be able to comply with the state’s 5-star energy regulations |
| 26 Apr 2006 | Judgement of plantation forestry is clouded by false perception and innuendo
ABC radio recently offered the forest industry an opportunity to outline why land prices were rising in rural areas |
| 21 Apr 2006 | Queensland forest lock-up doesn’t make sense
A plan to lock-up one million hectares of State forests in Queensland smacks of political opportunism considering the recent recognition of Queensland DPI Forestry’s world class, environmentally sustainable forest management practices |
| 13 Apr 2006 | TWS - misleading and politically opportunistic
TWS again misleading Australians by claiming that exports of our sustainably harvested timber products are facing a ban in Europe |
| 13 Apr 2006 | ‘Green’ rating tools fail to recognise the environmental benefits of wood
CSIRO research has shown that Australia’s ‘green’ rating tools for building design and construction do not adequately take into account the choice of environmentally friendly building materials such as wood |
| 12 Apr 2006 | Rising rural land prices – is plantation forestry the driving cause?
Rising land prices are being driven by a combination of factors. There is no one factor driving the increase in rural land prices |
| 07 Apr 2006 | Multiple use forests key to reducing global warming
Native forestry and the establishment of tree plantations will play a major role in reducing the effects of global warming, according to a new report |
| 05 Apr 2006 | Green groups misusing charity status
The Australian Financial Review has published an opinion piece by NAFI's CEO |
| 05 Apr 2006 | Wilderness Society misleads on Australian timber exports
The Wilderness Society has made misleading claims about exports of Australian timber products to the UK |
| 21 Mar 2006 | Rejection of trucking charge increases a win for forestry industry
NAFI has welcomed the overwhelming “NO” vote in response to the National Transport Commission’s (NTC) proposed increases in road user charges and net diesel excise for heavy vehicles |
| 21 Mar 2006 | Federal Government rejects over-loaded trucking fees
Australian Government’s recent stance against the national heavy vehicle charges proposed by the National Transport Commission to the Australian Transport Council |
| 20 Mar 2006 | 20 years of improvement in Australia’s forestry practices
Tuesday, March 21st is World Forestry Day – a day celebrated around the world by foresters and the forestry industry |
| 20 Mar 2006 | Forest industry congratulates Tasmanian Premier Paul Lennon on election result
The Australian forest industry has today welcomed the result of the Tasmanian State election |
| 16 Mar 2006 | Forestry rally in search for Tasmanian Green votes
TCFA provided greater balance between jobs and the environment and brought the total area of Tasmanian old-growth forests in reserves to over 1 million hectares |
| 15 Mar 2006 | Greens forest policy demonstrates no capacity for minority government
The Tasmanian Green’s forest policy demonstrates their inability to represent the collective interests of Tasmanians. |
| 14 Mar 2006 | Tasmanian Greens demonstrate zero economic credibility
The Tas Greens' forest policy can't work with the party demonstrating a complete lack of understanding of economics |
| 08 Mar 2006 | Tasmanian pulp mill essential in reducing trade deficit
National accounts for Australia show the trade deficit reached $2.7bn in January - value adding projects such as a high quality pulp mill for Tasmania must be encouraged |
| 07 Mar 2006 | International forestry stunt is political opportunism
Protests at Australian embassies have been promoted by people with no direct experience or knowledge of Tasmanian forest management |
| 06 Mar 2006 | ABCB forges ahead with 5-star despite housing industry down turn and Federal Government concerns
Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has gone ahead with the 5-star energy rating system despite the recent housing industry down turn and Federal Government concerns over the system |
| 03 Mar 2006 | Charity donations for Tasmanian political campaign and not saving trees
The Wilderness Society should no longer be classified as a charity but as a political organisation over a campaign it is running in Tasmania
|
| 02 Mar 2006 | Evaluation of costly energy efficiency standards welcome
Government response to the Productivity Commission’s final report into the Private Cost Effectiveness of Improving Energy Efficiency welcomed by NAFI |
| 01 Mar 2006 | Greens to grind Tasmanian economy to a standstill
By their own admission, the Greens’ new policies for Tasmania are nothing more than a dressed-up version of their old policies |
| 28 Feb 2006 | Meetings gauge skills shortages and discuss Indigenous employment in forest industries
NAFI representatives meet Mt Gambier region forest industries on skills shortages and Indigenous employment
|
| 24 Feb 2006 | State governments reduce home affordability
New 5-star energy efficiency rating will dramatically increase the cost of new homes while promoting the use of products requiring a considerable amount of energy to produce |
| 21 Feb 2006 | Report holds no water here
An international report Legal Forest Destruction should be ignored by all Tasmanians according to NAFI |
| 21 Feb 2006 | Premier Iemma creates one more job in New South Wales
NSW Premier Morris Iemma has announced 21 new National Parks for NSW, but who is going to adequately manage them? |
| 16 Feb 2006 | Timber industry floored by 5-star announcement
The announcement that a mandatory 5-star energy rating scheme will be adopted in the ACT has been met with opposition by the Australian timber industry. |
| 03 Feb 2006 | Neglected national parks create fuel for bushfires
Damage caused by recent bushfires in Victoria could have been lessened if adequate funding and resources had been allocated to national parks by the State Labor Government. |
| 03 Feb 2006 | New findings on tasmanian devil tumours discredit previous claims against forestry industry
Claims that chemicals cause facial tumours in tasmanian devils have been proven false and were clearly opportunistic and inappropriate attacks on the industry. |
| 27 Jan 2006 | Reports endorse the utilisation of Australia’s sustainably managed forests
A report estimates that around 9 percent, or $400 million worth of Australia’s timber imports, originate from illegally logged sources in overseas countries. |
| 24 Jan 2006 | Appointment of new Forestry Minister welcomed
The announcement that Senator the Hon Eric Abetz will become the new Minister for Forestry has been well received by NAFI. |
| 23 Jan 2006 | Timber Industry farewells a long time supporter
The timber industry acknowledges the support received from former Forestry Minister, Senator Ian Macdonald. |
| 17 Jan 2006 | Timber Industry welcomes new investment in Tasmania
The construction of two new veneer mills in Tasmania will add further value to Australia's forest resource. |
| 16 Jan 2006 | Using trees and carbon trading to tackle climate change
A comprehensive carbon trading regime and the subsequent increased establishment of tree plantations would assist in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. |
| 13 Jan 2006 | Timber industry welcomes ALP move to abandon Green's agenda
The timber industry welcomes statements made by the ALP’s Martin Ferguson, urging his party to abandon the Greens’
agenda. |
| 12 Jan 2006 | WWF Report endorses and supports Australia’s sustainable forest industries
New WWF statistics demonstrate that Australia’s forests are being grown faster than they are being consumed. |
| 11 Jan 2006 | Asia-Pacific Partnership offers new hope in fighting climate change
Australia’s forest industries are optimistic that the Asia-Pacific meeting will recognise the use of sustainably harvested timber in addressing climate change concerns. |
| 11 Jan 2006 | Plantation forestry – a long-term, low-cost solution to Climate Change
Plantation forestry should be recognised by the Asia-Pacific Partnership meeting as a low-cost, long-term solution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. |
| 11 Jan 2006 | Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate should encourage more Bioenergy
Asia-Pacific Partnership meeting should consider Bioenergy as one of the most effective means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
|
| 09 Jan 2006 | NSW Government continues environmental damage in National Parks
The inadequacy of fire management in NSW’s national park system is highlighted by a bushfire in the state's central west.
|
| 05 Jan 2006 | What “Wood�? help to address Climate Change
Asia-Pacific leaders will meet to discuss climate change issues as Australia records hottest year on record. |
| 04 Jan 2006 | Outstanding Employment Opportunity - Deputy CEO of NAFI and CEO of TPA
See centre column for further details. |
