With the election campaign beginning to take shape, the NZFOA Election Year Forestry Panel provided a valuable opportunity to hear directly from political parties on the future of forestry in New Zealand. The panel brought together representatives from across the political spectrum, including Todd McClay, Mark Patterson, Simon Court, Cushla Tangaere-Manuel and Steve Abel to discuss issues ranging from land use and environmental regulation through to wood processing, infrastructure, workforce development, investment and exports.
FICA was invited to attend the event, with Kevin Ihaka representing forestry contractors and ensuring the contractor perspective was heard during discussions.
One of the strongest takeaways from the evening was the broad level of support for forestry across all major political parties. While views differed on the future role and settings of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), there was a clear recognition that forestry remains a critical contributor to New Zealand's economy, regional communities and environmental objectives.
Panel members acknowledged forestry's importance as a major export earner, employer and source of economic activity in many rural regions. There was also widespread recognition of the sector's role in climate change mitigation, erosion control, biodiversity outcomes and supporting the transition to a lower-emissions economy.
For contractors, this is an encouraging signal. Regardless of the outcome of the next election, forestry continues to enjoy strong political support and remains firmly on the agenda as an industry that delivers both economic and environmental benefits for New Zealand.
FICA will continue engaging with politicians and policymakers from across the political spectrum to ensure forestry contractors have a voice in decisions that affect the future of the industry. As this event demonstrated, while there may be debate around specific policies such as the ETS, there is strong consensus that forestry is an essential part of New Zealand's future.
