Forest Talk

Forestry Minister, Stuart Nash, recently saw how the Forest Industries Transformation Act could be applied to foster value-added timber products.

At a visit to a newly-built Cromwell timber manufacturing plant, he witnessed an all-timber housing operation in action.

Swiss-backed Hector Egger New Zealand built a substantial factory premises in Cromwell's industrial area over a year ago. It aims to produce up to 100 buildings per year, from stand..... more

WorkSafe’s actions are under question after it sent police to carry out a scene examination, rather than a specialist investigator, following the death of Jason Rawiri (42) who was struck by a falling tree at Ngātapa near Gisborne on October 14.

Worker advocates are questioning whether police have the necessary expertise to gather evidence from a forestry fatality site to support a potential prosecution, and have labelled WorkSafe's actions disrespec..... more

The Taxpayers’ Union is slamming this week’s announcement by Government that agricultural emissions will attract a price set by politicians and bureaucrats by decree rather than using the market price of the Emissions Trading Scheme, calling it “the worst of all worlds”.

Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Callum Purves, says: “The whole point of the Emissions Trading Scheme is to act as an invisible hand incentivising cuts to emissions, general..... more

Taking top spot on the G. White Logging central Kaingaroa Forest skid is the John Deere 859MH zero tail swing tethered levelling harvester our Iron Test team has put through its paces. 

“This thing is an absolutely monstrous beast,” says Iron Test writer, Tim Benseman. “Obscenities are muttered quietly as we walk around it and start opening up the doors. The toolbox on/inside the track frame below the cab is surprising to see but fits in neatly...... more

The Aratu Forests thinning crew was established as a trial in November 2021 from staff within one of Aratu’s existing contract crews when the Principal decided to hang his saw up. After a six-month trial the crew had surpassed all expectations, allayed senior management and the Board’s concerns, and was made permanent with approval to increase it from four to eight people.

When William Grogan, Aratu Forests’ Manager - Tree Crop, first pitched the ide..... more

Penske Australia & New Zealand has presented Shannon Dickson and Bryce Bell with the 2022 Penske Guild Master Technician awards for off-highway and on-highway, respectively.

A leading hand from Kings Park, NSW, Shannon competed with five other off-highway finalists prior to being crowned the off-highway Master Technician. 

Securing his second on-highway Master Technician award, Bryce, a diesel technician from Perth, also vied against five ..... more