The inaugural Trans-Tasman Forest and Wood Products Forum, held in Canberra recently, involved industry leaders from the newly formed Australian Plantation and Paper Products Industry Association (A3P) and the New Zealand Forest Industries Council.
Nick Roberts, A3P chairman, says the forum began the process of examining mutual interests in the areas of trade, climate change, and research.
“The next step will be to extend our initial discussions into specific projects and meet again in six months’ time to review progress,” Roberts says.
Devon McLean, New Zealand Forest Industries Council chairman says it made sense for the industries to work together.
“Our two industries are increasingly integrated. We share a common resource in radiata pine which we must protect and promote more aggressively on the world stage,” Mr McLean says.
“Australia is also New Zealand’s largest market. We need to develop the market further in the interests of both our industries.”
The two industries have agreed to work together in respect of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations.
“Freeing up world trade, bringing down tariff and non-tariff barriers and putting in place better trade rules are key to the future success of our two industries,” Roberts says.
“Our joint position will be presented to the Australian and New Zealand Trade Ministers at their annual meeting in New Zealand in August.”
McLean says, “The inclusion of specific international trade concerns of the wood and paper industries in the agenda for the annual CER Business Dialogue gives us an opportunity to ensure that both Australian and New Zealand trade negotiators are focused on our needs.”
Forum participants also examined climate change policies in Australia and New Zealand, concluding that plantation forestry and wood processing are part of the solution to the problem of combating climate change.
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