The Morrison Government has contracted $1 million in funding for the Green Triangle Forestry Hub.

Member for Barker Tony Pasin said this was in important step in delivering Government’s National Forest Industries Plan.

“The Morrison Government has now signed agreements with each of the initial pilot hubs, with $1 million to be allocated to each pilot hub over four years,” Mr Pasin said.

“The Hubs are a central part of our National Forest Industries Plan. It’s about removing the barriers to growth in the industry and focusing on maximising the competitive advantages of our traditional forestry regions.

“Securing the future of Regional Forestry Hubs will help secure the future of forest industry,” Mr Pasin said.

The Morrison Government has committed $12.5 million to the Regional Forestry Hubs and research and development elements of the National Forest Industries Plan to further grow Australia’s forest industries and set the industry up for the future.

“This Plan ambitiously aims to deliver a billion new trees to meet a projected quadrupling of global demand for timber products by 2050, planting the right trees, at the right scale in the right places.”

“The end result will be better returns to business, more investment, more jobs and greater economic prosperity for Australia.”

Through the development of Regional Forestry Hubs and the implementation of the broader set of actions in the Plan, the Government is supporting forest industries as part of the commitment to deliver 1.25 million new jobs over the next five years.

“Most of those trees will be in key areas that have clear competitive advantages for forestry, such as access to processing plants, transport routes and a skilled forestry workforce. This is brilliant news for the Limestone Coast who are in prime position to benefit from the Plan,” Mr Pasin said.

More information on the National Forest Industries Plan, including the pilot Regional Forestry Hubs, is available at: http://www.agriculture.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/forestry/national-forest-industries-plan.pdf

Media Contact: Charlotte Edmunds 8531 2466