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DAFF faces criticism over Russian timber imports and failure to enforce illegal logging laws, leaving Australian producers at risk

DAFF faces scrutiny over Russian timber imports, having conducted no compliance testing despite evidence of misdeclared timber. Nationals leaders warn weak enforcement threatens Australian forestry jobs and domestic producers.

By news@gippsland - 4th November 2026 - Back to News

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) has passed the buck on Russian timber, telling Senate Estimates the presence of Russian timber "is not necessarily an issue for illegality" under Australia’s illegal logging laws and that sanctions are a matter for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), despite industry raising its concerns directly with the Department.

Matt Canavan criticised DAFF’s lack of accountability and testing, warning unchecked Russian timber imports threaten Australian forestry producers and calling for stronger enforcement and sanctions

Timber testing failures

Asked at last week’s hearing about testing that found imported timber products did not match their declared country, the Department said it was aware of recent industry-commissioned testing by Source Certain, but pointed only to its audits of importers’ due diligence when asked how the laws were being enforced.

The Department’s own 2023-24 trial found about one in four timber products tested did not match their declared species, origin or both. Yet in answers to Senate Estimates this year, the Department confirmed it had not tested a single timber sample under the illegal logging laws, had tested no consignments for Russian content, and had the equivalent of just 2.2 fulltime staff working on illegal logging compliance.

Russian timber imports exposed

Leader of The Nationals Matt Canavan said the Department’s evidence showed no one was taking responsibility for keeping Russian timber out of Australia. "Industry is telling the Department Russian timber is coming into Australia, and the response is that it’s not necessarily illegal and it’s someone else’s problem. The Department’s own trial found one in four timber products didn’t match what was declared, yet it has told Estimates it hasn’t tested a single sample under the illegal logging laws."

"That leaves the door open to illegal and Russian timber undercutting our own forestry industry, which has to meet some of the highest standards in the world. It is extremely unfair and must be fixed. The Department has had testing powers since March 2025. If it hasn’t used them, Labor needs to explain why," Senator Canavan said.

Backing local timber

Senator Canavan added the Senate Committee report this year highlighted the need for stronger action and tougher reforms to prevent Russian timber products entering Australia vindicated local timber industry fears. "The report recommended tighter sanctions against Russia, ensuring penalties evolve with global developments, and addressing the imports issue." Australia’s forest industries contribute $24 billion a year to the economy, directly employing 80,000 people and another 100,000 indirectly.

Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester said Gippsland’s timber producers are held to strict standards on how they grow, harvest and process timber, and deserve a level playing field. "Since Victoria shut down native timber harvesting, Gippsland producers have been left fighting for supply. They shouldn’t also have to compete with imports the Department isn’t properly checking."

"At the same time, the Regional Forest Agreement exemption ends in July 2027 with no state yet agreeing a replacement, and Labor’s $300 million Forestry Growth Fund still hasn’t paid out a single grant. Labor needs to start backing the people who grow and process our timber," Mr Chester said.

Reviving timber industry

Leader of The Victorian Nationals Danny O’Brien and State Member for Gippsland South Danny O’Brien said the Coalition would bring back the timber industry, with a focus on active forest management. "The industry has been devastated by Labor’s shutdown."

"We will bring the industry back through an active forest management program that actually looks after our forests, and with the residual that comes out of that – the logs that come from building roads, from clearing fire breaks, from thinning the forests, will be made available to the Victorian timber industry," Mr O’Brien said.

Australian Sustainable Hardwoods (ASH) managing director Vince Hurley said cheaper imports are hurting the industry. "Local producers are struggling to compete and if you lose the local producer, you won’t get them back. Lose all the local producers and then you are reliant on those imports for your products. We want a level playing field as well. Let’s have Australian manufacturing, let’s not kill Australian manufacturing, because you won’t get it back," Mr Hurley said.

Pictures from Matthew Canavan Facebook page.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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