The Parliamentary Friends of Forestry, Timber and Paper Products has been officially re-established in the 48th Federal Parliament as a non-partisan friendship group to support the full supply chain of Australia's forestry and forest products sector, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA), Diana Hallam said today.
"On behalf of Australia's forest industries, I can say we are thrilled the Parliamentary Friends of Forestry, Timber and Paper Products has been re-established. The group is made up of parliamentarians from different sides of politics and represents important and stable, cross-party support for our sector in the Australian Parliament," Diana Hallam said.
"I especially congratulate Victorian Labor Senator Raff Ciccone and NSW Nationals Senator Ross Cadell on their appointments as Co-Chairs for the group. Over successive federal parliaments the Parliamentary Friends of Forestry, Timber and Paper Products has proudly represented industry through dialogue with stakeholders like AFPA.
"Many MPs and Senators count forestry and the supply chain as major industries in the electorates and regions they represent, while many more recognise the importance of the sector for the nation in terms of sovereign capability, creation of essential products and the growing environmental and climate contribution the sector provides.
"In many ways this group facilitates a collective voice in the parliament for the tens of thousands of Australians who rely on forest industries for their livelihoods.
"AFPA will seek to collaborate with the re-established Parliamentary Friends of Forestry, Timber and Paper Products over the life of the 48th Parliament to strengthen the voice of one of Australia's most important primary industries and manufacturing sectors," Diana Hallam concluded.
