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Latrobe City adopts 'Wood Encouragement' policyIn a nation leading decision, Councillors at Latrobe City Council last night voted to adopt a 'Wood By Latrobe City - 22nd December 2014 - Back to News Encouragement' policy. The policy has the goal of driving construction in the region towards an
outcome which is better for the environment and will benefit a great many local businesses.
The Council’s decision to adopt the policy followed significant positive support coming from a public
consultation process undertaken in November.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Forest Products Association, Mr Ross Hampton
welcomed the Council’s decision led by Mayor, Councillor Dale Harriman and looks forward to
implementation of the policy.
'All over the world in countries such as Canada and France, governments are making the decision to
change their tender processes to better accommodate timber. Latrobe City Council is to be
congratulated for leading our nation with the adoption of this policy’, said Mr Hampton.
‘The reasons political decision makers are taking this stance is simple. Timber products are
completely renewable, biodegradable and as they store carbon, play a positive role in reducing
greenhouse gas emissions. In Latrobe City Council's case the benefits are clearly economic as well.
The region is one of the premier timber producing areas. Timber products contribute some $800
million a year to the local economy, providing more than 1 325 jobs and many times that number of
indirect jobs.'
Nationally forestry and forest product industries provide some 80 000 direct jobs and about 200 000
indirect. These jobs are generally clustered around regional areas in Gippsland, Tasmania, South east
Queensland, the Green Triangle of South Australia and Victoria, northern and southern NSW,
Central Tablelands and the Tumut area of NSW, and Southwest WA.
Mr Hampton said, 'It is my hope that all councils in these areas will follow the lead of Latrobe City
Council and adopt their own wood encouragement policies’.
The Latrobe City Council wood encouragement policy would require all submissions for Council
construction to pay adequate regard to wood, and acknowledge Council's strong preference for
quality wood buildings, where suitable.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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