MATTERS OF URGENCY
Senator DOLEGA (Tasmania) (16:55): The central claim of Senator McKim's motion just simply doesn't stack up. To begin with, the Australian government does not subsidise native forestry operations. The day-to-day management of forestry operations is the responsibility of state and territory governments throughout the country.
That said, the government remains firmly committed to a sustainable forestry industry, one that delivers positive economic, social and environmental outcomes that include employment and income for regional communities as well as a sustainable source of wood products to support the housing and construction sector. Australia needs timber to build the homes that Australians need.
Demand for wood products in the construction sector is growing, and our domestic forestry industry—native and plantation combined—is central to meeting that demand. With that in mind, ending native forestry does not make housing more affordable or more available. Instead, it makes Australia more dependent on imported timber at a time when global supply chains are already under significant pressure.
Our support for the sector is clear. It's shown through the new $300 million Forestry Growth Fund, alongside our existing $300 million investment that is already expanding plantations, strengthening the workforce and upgrading manufacturing capability. Importantly, this new fund will see the government invest with industry to build a larger, more sustainable forestry industry—one that delivers more secure jobs and higher value outputs.
It will secure retooling, training and upskilling for workers across the country. Ending native forest forestry means more imports, not less logging. There is a key point here that the Greens consistently refuse to engage with: Australia is a net importer of wood products.
Plantations alone cannot meet domestic demand. Therefore, native forests remain an important source of wood products that complement our plantation industry. If we shut down Australia's native forestry sector, we do not reduce the amount of timber that Australians use.
What we do is instead replace domestically produced, sustainably managed timber with imports sourced from overseas jurisdictions that may have significantly weaker environmental, labour and governance standards than our own. This is particularly concerning given that Australia's native forestry operates under some of the most rigorous regulatory frameworks in the world.
Senators who genuinely care about forests should think carefully about what they are actually advocating for. It's also important to put the facts on the record. Australia has 133.6 million hectares of forest, covering 17 per cent of the country's land area.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization ranks Australia second globally for increases in forest area. In addition, production native forests are currently a net carbon sink, sequestering around 30.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2022-23. This government takes its environmental obligations seriously, and the data reflects that commitment.
Beyond timber production, native forestry also plays a vital role in forest management. Forestry workers bring critical expertise, experience and equipment into fire management efforts. This includes hazard reduction burns, frontline firefighting capacity and post-fire recovery work like road clearing.
These are highly skilled workforces embedded in regional communities throughout Australia, carrying out work that protects lives and property. Turning to investment, this government is committing almost $600 million to the sector, and it includes the new $300 million Forestry Growth Fund to implement the industry led Timber Fibre Strategy; $83.83 million to modernise wood processing; $100 million for research and innovation through Australian Forest and Wood Innovations; $73 million to expand plantation estates across all states and the Northern Territory; and $10 million for workforce training.
Behind these figures are real jobs and real economic contributions in regional communities. In fact, the native hardwood harvest was $274 million in 2023-24. The Albanese government will continue to support a sustainable forestry industry that delivers for workers, communities and the environment.