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Rudd Government continues to deliver on forestry commitments

21 March 2009
DAFF09/221B

The Rudd Government continues to deliver on key election commitments to invest $20 million to support sustainable forest industries, as it marks World Forestry Day.

Minister for Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said World Forestry Day was a chance to acknowledge the significant contribution of Australia’s forestry industries, particularly to regional communities and jobs.

"The Rudd Government recognises the importance of the forestry sector and is committed to supporting our forest industries into the future,” Mr Burke said.

“As the 2008 State of the Forests report that I released at a timber mill in East Gippsland showed, Australia’s forestry and forest products industries are now worth $19 billion annually.

“These industries support more than 120,000 direct jobs and underpin rural and regional economies, including honey production, ecotourism and handicrafts.”

The Rudd Government continues to deliver on its election commitments for forestry industries, including:

  • The Forest Industries Development Fund will provide $9 million in grants to increase the competitiveness of Australia’s forest resources and ensure the long-term economic viability of the industry. The first round, which opened on 12 January 2009, attracted strong interest;
  • Investing $8 million to identify and address major knowledge gaps about the impact of climate change on Australia’s forest systems and industries;
  • Working with regional neighbours and industry through a $1 million initiative to help tackle illegal logging including through capacity-building and working with industry to encourage sourcing of timber and wood products from legally and sustainably managed forests;
  • Funding of $1 million has been provided for the establishment of the Forest and Forest Products Industry Skills Council. This is in addition to more than $7 million from the Government’s Industry Skills Council funding program to assist in training skilled forestry workers; and
  • A further $1 million will help to update and expand the forest industry database to meet future information needs.

World Forestry Day is celebrated on March 21 - the day of the autumn equinox in the Southern Hemisphere.