Government ‘broke’ wood pledge
The timber processing industry is disappointed the Government is not implementing a promise to use wood for more of its buildings and has threatened to block-vote against it at the election.
Chief executives from more than 50 forestry-wood processing companies, representing more than 10,000 employees, have signed an open letter calling on the Government to honour its commitment to the procurement policy for government buildings, which was consistent with its zero carbon goal. Industry spokesman and Red Stag Group chief executive Marty Verry said the policy had the backing of NZ First and the Green Party and it was time for Labour to move on it.
He understood it had been included in the material surrounding the coalition agreement between NZ First and Labour.
The Labour Party’s 2017 election manifesto stated, if elected, the Government would require that ‘‘all government-funded project proposals for new buildings up to four storeys high shall require a build-in-wood option at the initial concept/request-forproposals stage ... Due to advances in engineering and wood processing technologies, we will increase the four storey requirement to 10 storeys’’.
Verry said the industry was now standing together to hold the Government to account for not fulfilling its election commitment.
‘‘The coalition has made this promise, the planet needs it, the sector has invested on the back of it, and we expect the Government to now do what it promised.’’
There was the ability to unite the 25,000 employees working in the sector, so they supported and voted for the party that had favourable policies, Verry said.
‘‘We will co-ordinate to act as a voter-bloc at the next election if need be.’’
He said concrete and steel emitted between 10 and 13 per cent of global climate change emissions and the industry wanted the Government to use its procurement weight to lead New Zealand into a green construction future, pointing out that New Zealand could be carbon zero in building structures by 2030.
The sector leaders prioritisation hold-up say the sat with
Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford.
Twyford said Cabinet had requested an industry transformation plan (ITP) be developed for the wood processing industry, which would start later this year.
Questions about Government procurement would be considered as part of that work. All three coalition partners were committed to growing the wood processing industry, he said.
Forestry Minister Shane Jones said only Twyford had the authority to tweak the procurement process but all his conversations with him had been ‘‘positive’’.