Peter Dutton's plan to cut key nation-building programs essential to securing the timber industry's future would be disastrous for timber communities across Australia, according to the soon-to-be-established Timber, Furnishing and Textiles Union (TFTU).
The National Reconstruction Fund (NRF), the Future Made in Australia (FMIA) fund, and the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) are all on the chopping block this weekend.
These programs were identified as critical by a Forestry Industry Roundtable attended by over 80 industry leaders and experts in December in Hobart, hosted by the Strategic Forest and Renewable Materials Partnership to inform the development of the soon-to-be-released Timber Fibre Strategy.
"If Peter Dutton cuts these programs, it's not just jobs at risk — it's the future of our industry," said Mr Michael O'Connor, TFTU National Secretary and Co-Chair of the Strategic Partnership. "Slashing these programs against the advice of industry experts would slam the brakes on investment in our industry." "These are exactly the programs that industry leaders and experts have identified as highly suitable for leveraging future growth."
The NRF and FMIA have been earmarked as vital sources of investment for manufacturing, innovation, new product development, and lower-emissions intensive production (such as green production credits).
Meanwhile, the HAFF has been recognised as a key driver to underpin demand for structural framing timber used extensively in residential construction and investment in timber prefab component manufacturing to service the expansion of high-quality prefabricated and modular housing.
"While Peter Dutton claims to support regional industries, his cuts would drag the timber industry backwards," said Mr O'Connor. "At a time when we should be expanding processing and value-adding onshore, Dutton's cuts would leave workers and regional communities isolated." "Timber workers, their families and communities cannot afford to pay the price for Peter Dutton's cuts." "We need a government that invests in regional industries — not one that abandons them, as a Peter Dutton-led Government would."
