Mr O’Connor will meet with workers in the industry at Big River Timbers in Grafton and Boral at Murwillumbah over the next few days.
He will also meet with local Federal MP Janelle Saffin to argue for federal Government action to address a technicality that is stopping native timber from being accredited with a six star green building credit rating.
The problem means that currently “six star” timber products must be sourced from overseas, ironically from countries where illegal and unsustainable logging has occurred.
Mr O’Connor said that Ms Saffin had been a good advocate on this issue for her community but that the Federal Government needed to remove the impediment stopping domestic native timber from being able to be used in building projects seeking a green star building rating.
“Janelle Saffin has a good understanding of this issue, however we need the intervention of the Federal Government to fix the problem.”
“Job security and investment in our sustainable industry will increasingly be retarded on the North Coast whilst ever Australian timber products are unable to compete on a level playing field with overseas timber products.”
“The timber industry on the NSW North Coast has a proud history and employs world’s best practice in terms of its forestry management and environmental sustainability. The many families who work in the industries locally deserve to have this problem fixed.”
For media comment please call Michael O’Connor on 0418 550 831.
