Corangamite MP Libby Coker wants timber supply, production issues addressed via national strategy

Labor MP Libby Coker is on a “personal mission” to create a national timber manufacturing strategy – in a win for jobs and the environment – if she is re-elected to federal parliament.

Developing a national timber manufacturing strategy will become a “personal mission” for Labor MP Libby Coker if she is re-elected and Labor wins government.

Faced with a timber shortage gripping the nation, Ms Coker said a federal task force was needed to develop capability in Australia to grow and mill a high proportion of its timber.

“If re-elected, I will make it my personal mission to develop a national environmentally sustainable plantation and timber manufacturing strategy, which addresses supply chain issues,” Mr Coker said.

“We just need the right initiatives, the will and determination to get it done.”

In the interim Ms Coker wants Australia’s timber plantations to be expanded.

It is understood the cost of some new homes has risen by $28,000 in six months with the additional cost partly due to rising timber costs.

Federal MP Libby Coker wants Australia’s timber plantations to be sustainably expanded. Picture: Peter Ristevski

Ms Coker said the ripple effect of the national timber crisis had caused job losses and slowdowns for builders and tradespeople.

“According to industry experts we are seeing the unfolding of a timber train wreck, which will only get worse over the next 12-24 months, and see a lot of home buyers, subcontractors and tradespeople left stranded and losing thousands,” Libby Coker said.

In September the federal government said it would spend $15.1m to help address timber shortage for residential construction.

Housing Minister Michael Sukkar said the funding would provide “vital materials for 10,000 new homes to be built.”

Ms Coker said Geelong-based Timbertruss, which is among the country’s largest roof trusses and wall frame manufacturers, is operating at 60 per cent capacity due to the shortage.

Timbertruss imports approximately forty five semi-trailers of timber every month from Europe.

Timbertruss business manager Steve Collier told the Addy in October: “Timber from overseas is costing between 85 to 125 per cent more and this is inevitably being passed on to the client, and leading to a concerning increase in the cost of housing.”

Ms Coker said Australia imported about 35 per cent of its timber.

“We need concrete short, medium and long-term national plans put in place,” she said.

“It dumbfounds me Australia, with our enormous land area, is not self-sufficient with well-planned, environmentally sustainable plantations.

“This is doubly so, when it would create thousands of good jobs, and timber is a great way to absorb and lock up carbon and help address climate change.

“Australia still imports around 35 per cent of our timber, and a lot of that is the laminated structural timber.

“Our manufacturing base is now so low under (the) Morrison (government) we can’t even manufacture enough laminated timbers.”

Originally published as Corangamite MP Libby Coker wants timber supply, production issues addressed via national strategy