The Australian Forest Products Association's 2022 federal election platform was fittingly unveiled at the Neville Smith Forestry Products site in Mowbray by company chief executive Andrew Walker and the AFPA chief executive Ross Hampton.

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While neither of the major parties have yet outlined their forestry commitments going into the election, the AFPA's platform has flagged what issues in the sector are likely to be foregrounded in the coming weeks. The policy issues highlighted are likely to have particular sway in Tasmania where the industry continues to employ more than 5000 in direct and indirect jobs.

That said, Mr Hampton believes the peak body's platform will resonate beyond those working in the sector, given the issues facing the industry since the start of the pandemic

"This is a plan that will be backed and supported by every mum and dad that is trying to build a home or renovate, by every builder, tradie and chippy that's going into Bunnings and Mitre10 and finding those timber shelves not as full as they should be," he said.

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The platform calls for a bipartisan commitment to meet the need for one billion more plantation trees by 2030. The AFPA has welcomed the $86 million forestry cash-for-grants scheme unveiled by the prime minister in Launceston earlier this week, but Mr Hampton also cautioned that more policies will need to be brought in if the one-billion-tree target is likely to be met.

"That target is entirely do-able. We just need a small uptick in the nursery stock and the right land to be available," he said.

Controversially but perhaps unsurprisingly, the peak body is also calling for "no more forest lock ups" to ensure loggers have access to native forest and hardwood supplies.

This issue has grown more pressing for the sector in recent years after Western Australia and Victoria committed to phase out old growth logging.

Responding to the AFPA's call, assistant forestry minister Jonathon Duniam referenced the federal government's existing budget commitments and reiterated his support for native forestry.

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"I have been calling out the shutdowns in WA and VIC, but I'm yet to see my Labor counterparts do the same," he added.

Closer to home, the AFPA has reiterated its call for a $200 million National Institute for Forest Products Innovation in Launceston. A $1.3 million feasibility study into the NIFPI plan has been undertaken and is being considered by the government.

Finally and further down the timber supply chain, the AFPA is calling for policy support for the pulp, paper and packaging sector and its role in the global transition to recyclable packaging.

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Speaking to the AFPA platform, Franklin Labor MHR Julie Collins referenced the sector's place in Labor's proposed $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund. She went on to criticise the slow rate of tree planting since the federal government first unveiled the billion-tree target in 2019.

Mr Hampton said the AFPA continues to be in dialogue with both major parties.

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