The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) welcomes Federal Labor's $24 million election commitment for the Boyer Paper Mill in Tasmania. This funding will help the facility transition the energy source for its boiler infrastructure from coal to electricity along with other essential measures. The commitment also highlights the extreme pressures the forest products sector's manufacturing operations are under nationally, Chief Executive Officer of AFPA, Diana Hallam said today.
"We welcome Federal Labor's commitment to the Boyer Mill announced today – $9 million in upfront support over the next two years and $15 million to deliver mill upgrades over the longer-term. The facility is a critical forest industry employer in southern Tasmania and Australia's last local supplier of many publication paper products. We must however stress that forestry and forest products is a $24 billion industry, Australia's 6th largest manufacturing sector and our timber and wood-fibre manufacturing facilities across the country are struggling with rising energy costs. Major national solutions are required from the next Federal Government to address the problem," Diana Hallam said.
"Energy is a major input cost for manufacturing in our sector and has been identified by industry as the biggest single factor that increases wholesale and retail costs for the essential products our sector creates. Like other industries, if we want a sustainable future for climate friendly timber and wood-fibre manufacturing - the price of energy needs to be addressed."
The Boyer Mill is located within the key forestry electorate of Lyons - where Labor candidate Rebecca White holds a slim lead over the Liberals' Susie Bower according to AFPA commissioned opinion polling released late last week. The polling also showed residents overwhelmingly wanted a Federal Government that would support forestry and the supply chain going forward.
"AFPA looks forward to Labor's broader forestry policies which will be critical for key electorates - including Lyons - and we will continue to work with all sides of politics to ensure the next Parliament delivers the best possible outcomes for the country's sustainable forestry and forest products sector. We are essential for the economy, jobs, communities, the environment and for fighting climate change," Diana Hallam concluded.
