Trevor Smith

Forestry & Furnishing Products Division, CFMEU

“Unity is the source of success” was a catch cry of the Australian Timber Workers Union approximately 100 years ago.

It is of course as relevant today in respect to the Forestry & Furnishing Products Division (FFPD) of the CFMEU, the industry Union representing forest and wood product workers, pulp and paper and furnishing workers.

The reality is that unity of action and/or views of any group, organisation or representative body will always provide a strong foundation for success.

There are currently two initiatives emanating from the Forest & Wood Products Council which are being progressed by steering committees which are deserving (I believe demanding) of total industry support and commitment.

In respect to the first initiative, it is proposed that the current Forest & Wood Products Research & Development Corporation (FWPRDC) which is funded by industry through levies of forest growers and matched by Federal Government funds, be reformed in order to accommodate a generic marketing and promotion role on behalf of the industry.

The reformed FWPRDC would have an extended more equitable payer base and importantly will convert the FWPRDC from a Statutory Authority (a Government controlled entity) to a corporate entity (industry owned entity).

Whilst the whole industry is not required to contribute to the reformed company nominally named as Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA), in my view it should.

The proposed expansion of the role of the FWPA will allow the forest and wood products industry to respond to the decades of environmental movement’s attacks.

Such attacks, gross misrepresentation of the industry, embellishment and distortion of facts have cost many thousands of workers their jobs, the industry, a diminishing share of the market for our products and an image of an industry that has no environmental care or regard.

Whilst the proposed new company will continue it work in Research and Development and enhance the marketing of our products, there can be no more priority issue for the industry than to collectively, throughout all its industry sectors, to get behind the FWPA in redressing the injustices perpetrated by extremists by co-coordinating a promotional campaign that tells the real story of an environmental friendly, safe and beneficial industry available to the broad community.

I recognise that promotional campaigns have, and continue to be carried out by a number of industry organisations throughout various industry sectors and they should continue to do so, these campaigns will compliment the intended FWPA initiative.

A nationally co-coordinated promotional campaign supported by all of industry is long overdue.

All of industry will be the beneficiary of the Australian community replacing its current jaundiced view of the industry and it products to one of support and endorsement for an expanded industry and a preference for wood products over steel, aluminum and plastics to name a few.

The second initiative currently being progressed through a FWPC steering committee is the development of an “Australian Wood and Paper Growth Strategy”.

The strategy will be developed in three stages with all stages anticipated to be finalised by December 31, 2005.

The strategy is borne out of the ongoing work of the Forest & Wood Products Council which is comprised of industry leaders, the Australian Government and Chaired by Senator Ian McDonald Minister for Forests, which in particular seeks to identify the barriers to the industry’s capacity to develop and expand.

The strategy when completed will have identified impediments, advantages, opportunities and data gaps that individually and collectively are areas that need to be addressed if the Australian wood and paper industry is to grow.

The proposed strategy again is for whole of industry to derive opportunities and benefits and therefore should be embraced and supported.

On behalf of the workers in the industry we will continue to actively participate in the development and implementation of the strategy.

The two initiatives outlined above can only achieve their intended objectives if they are broadly supported.

It is timely for our industry to work cohesively and collectively to maximise the benefits that can be derived from, social benefit recognition, environmental value, new investment, industry and job growth, skill development, long term industry viability.

Indeed “Unity is the source of success”.