Listeners to 3AW’s Neil Mitchell program recently will be alert to the significant challenges currently facing homeowners and renovators in gaining supplies of timber and other necessary materials.
The Chief Executive of the Victorian Forest Products Association (VFPA), Deb Kerr has reassured Victorians that the difficulties are not due to either sawmills producing less, or Australia exporting sawn timber.
“Victoria’s sawmills are running at capacity, processing around 40 per cent more timber than they were at this time last year,” said Ms Kerr.
“The sentiment expressed by some that Victoria exports sawn softwood is simply incorrect. The reality is that Victoria has a reliance on imported softwood for up to a quarter of our house frames.”
“Imported sawn softwood volumes normally supplied from Europe and North America have declined due to the higher demand in those regions and exacerbated by other international export challenges such as a lack of containers to move it to Australia.”
“Victoria’s sustainably produced wood is the ultimate renewable and remains the preferred product of choice for builders and homeowners due to its environmental, cost and ease of use credentials. Supply will catch up with demand in due course.”
“However, the current supply challenges are likely an indication of the future if Victoria does not immediately implement policies and programs that drive tree planting for sawmills to supply the softwood framing timbers for our children’s homes,” concluded Ms Kerr.
The original media release is here: VFPA_Media_Release_-_Victorian_timber_mills_surge_capacity_to_help_meet_community_demand