Forest Talk

As part of its Future Made in Australia Plan, Federal Labor has announced ‘ReMade in Australia’ where products that have a minimum of 20% recycled content, 50% of which must be Australian made, can display a new logo. The 50% local component will increase to 100% in 2030.

Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA), Diana Hallam, says, “Manufacturers of timber and wood-fibre products across our sector use a huge amoun..... more

Vocational education and training providers will be given more control over their own programmes, beginning next year, says Vocational Education Minister, Penny Simmonds.

She says Government will introduce a new, independent, and industry-led model for work-based learning: “Vocational education and training providers will be able to manage all aspects of an apprenticeship or traineeship at an industry level, rather than taking direction from a centra..... more

“New Zealand’s landscape is constantly evolving, and it’s crucial that we understand how,” says Land Information Minister, Chris Penk.

With this in mind, most of New Zealand has now been mapped in 3D, creating a rich dataset for planning economic growth, land management and modelling for risk, and Associate Regional Development.

“For the first time, this information is available as a single, comprehensive national dataset. With 80% of New Zeala..... more

A new optional accessory for Ponsse harvester heads ensures effective chainsaw lubrication. The Ponsse Greasing System feeds grease to the chainsaw from screw-in grease cartridges according to the dosing settings made through the Opti5G information system. Grease cartridges stored in a warm place ensure effective lubrication throughout the work shift.

“This is a solution that makes the workday of a forest machine operator easier, especially in cold w..... more

WorkSafe New Zealand's initiative to recruit up to 60 new health and safety inspectors in 2025 is a positive step towards addressing our alarming rates of workplace harm, says the Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA).

"New Zealand's workplace fatality rate is notably higher than that of comparable countries," says EMA Manager of Employment Relations and Safety, Paul Jarvie.

"The investment of an additional $2.7 million annually into gr..... more

Under its new strategy, WorkSafe is turning some 15% of its targeted frontline activity to the forestry sector because of the high rate of harm, particularly for Maōri.   Forestry had the highest fatality rate of any sector in 2024, with 16.58 deaths per 100,000 workers. 

In a recent case, poor risk management from the two businesses above him, resulted in the death of a forestry contractor, says WorkSafe. Both businesses have been sentence..... more