Friday, 03 July 2020 11:44

Bunnings banning Oz timber “pandering to extremist groups”

Written by  Staff Reporters
Australian Forests Products Association CEO Ross Hampton. Australian Forests Products Association CEO Ross Hampton.

Bunnings’ decision to no longer sell timber from an Australian state-owned forestry agency that breached conservation laws is being criticised.

VicForests was found in May to have had breached conservation laws related to threatened species by the Australian federal court.

Bunnings says it has a zero-tolerance approach to illegally logged timber and it is committed to only sourcing timber products from legal and well-managed forest operations.

As a result, the company ceased sourcing of VicForests timber from June 30.

Australian Forests Products Association CEO Ross Hampton has described the decision as a “knee-jerk reaction to pander to extremist activist groups”.

Hampton said it will only lead to more imported timber from less sustainably managed forests overseas.

“This decision puts at risk tens of thousands of Australian manufacturing jobs at a time when our country can least afford to lose them, especially in regional communities,” said Hampton.

“The truth is that Victoria has one of the most regulated, sustainably managed native forestry industries in the world, harvesting the equivalent of just four trees out of 10,000.”

Australia’s Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries, Jonno Duniam, called the decision “disappointing and wrong” and said Australian jobs will be lost as a consequence.

“Bunnings shelves will be stacked with more imported timber, rather than Australian grown structural hardwood timber, Australian solid timber panels and Australian kitchen benchtops,” said Duniam.

“This decision will cost many hundreds of jobs across harvesting, sawmills and processing, particularly in our regional communities.

“Bunnings is kicking Australia’s timber industry while it’s down, and at a time when Australian companies and Australians should be backing Australian products and supporting Australian jobs.”

More like this

Editorial: New Treeland?

OPINION: Forestry is not all bad and planting pine trees on land that is prone to erosion or in soils which cannot support livestock farming makes sense.

NZ vs Aussie beef

OPINION: Your old mate hears that at a recent China Business Summit, PM Christopher Luxon delivered a none-too-subtle "could try harder" report card on the red meat industry regarding its exports to China - particularly when compared to Australia.

Featured

'One more push' to eliminate FE

Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling on farmers from all regions to take part in the final season of the Sheep Poo Study aiming to build a clearer picture of how facial eczema (FE) affects farms across New Zealand.

Winston Peters questions Fonterra divestment plan

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has joined the debate around the proposed sale of Fonterra’s consumer and related businesses, demanding answers from the co-operative around its milk supply deal with the buyer, Lactalis.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Quid prod quo?

OPINION: Ageing lefty Chris Trotter reckons that the decision to delay recognition of Palestinian statehood is more than just a fit…

Deadwood

OPINION: A mate of yours truly recently met someone at a BBQ who works at a big consulting firm who spent…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter