The Albanese Government’s disastrous newly released emissions targets now confirm what the forestry industry, and its workers, have long feared: that Labor is trying to end native forestry activity across Australia.
Notwithstanding that Labor’s commitments aren’t worth the (imported) paper on which they’re written, the ‘Targets Advice 2035’ report now openly identifies “halving re-clearing rates” (p.4) and “reducing native forest harvesting” (p.8) as priority requirements for meeting their ludicrous climate goals.
This is despite repeated promises from the likes of the Prime Minister, current Forestry Minister, Julie Collins, and former Forestry Minister, Murray Watt – including in a May 2022 pre-election letter to Tasmanian forestry workers – that native timber harvesting activities and jobs would be safeguarded under an Albanese Government.
Shadow Forestry Minister, Ross Cadell, said today that Labor’s newly announced approach is a full-blown betrayal of Australian forestry.
“Anthony Albanese and his colleagues have continually promised native forestry workers that their jobs, their industry and their communities were secure. Yet this government is now washing its hands of all of that, and signing the death warrant for native forestry by signalling that it will be destroyed under Federal Labor’s emissions reduction plan.”
“And this is not some idle threat – we’ve already seen the reckless damage that State Labor bans and broken forestry promises have caused in Western Australia and Victoria. Timber families have been sold out to activists, and regional communities have been left to pick up the pieces – and now the Albanese Government is spinelessly embarking on the same course nationally.”
Acting Shadow Environment Minister, Jonno Duniam, said that the Government’s own documents make it very clear that they intend to constrict, and ultimately shut down, the industry.
“Julie Collins must immediately front up and explain why the Albanese Government is breaking its clear promises to forestry workers, especially in New South Wales and her own home state of Tasmania. She must explain why Labor is prepared to sacrifice even more regional jobs and families in the name of deep green ideology.”
“In stark contrast to Labor, the Liberal and National Parties will continue to back forestry as one of our country’s great renewable industries that underpins thousands of jobs, supports regional economies and provides essential products for Australian households,” said Senator Duniam.