The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) welcomes the opportunity to represent our sector at this week's Agriculture Productivity Roundtable to be convened by Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the Hon Julie Collins. Like all sectors, improved productivity is a priority for us and we believe the answers lie with various reforms and changes including, strategic regional planning, improved R&D outcomes to maximise resource opportunities, as well as technology upgrades, AFPA's Deputy Chief Executive Officer Richard Hyett said today.
"Our sector provides the solutions to many of the Government's challenges, including helping solve the housing crisis and decarbonising the economy. It's important we work with Minister Collins and her Ministerial colleagues in the Albanese Government to get the policy settings right, to improve productivity for our sector and to enhance our national contribution to the economy, climate and the creation of essential products," Richard Hyett said.
At the Roundtable, AFPA will focus on the importance of strategic regional planning, increased forestry research and development (R&D) investment, improved timber and wood-fibre outcomes, along with improved supply chain technology and policy settings that promote the sustainability of the forestry industry and its products.
The Strategic Forest and Renewable Materials Partnership - made up of industry, unions and other sector stakeholders working with Government, has developed the Timber Fibre Strategy, released several weeks ago. It also recommends a number of Albanese Government actions to drive a step change improvement in productivity, including:
- Recognising forestry and wood products as a priority industry under the Government's Future Made in Australia Network
- Promoting investment in workplace productivity across the sector including trialling the "smarter" High Performance Workplace model to encourage programs, projects and pilots
- De-risking investment in modern manufacturing capability by improving cross-government regulatory reform
"We have a huge potential using our amazing materials, maximising use and value of the resource as well as developing new uses. It's all key to our future success. AFPA looks forward to this week's Productivity Roundtable and developing some positive outcomes with the Government," Richard Hyett concluded.
