The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) welcomes progress to establish a new research and development institute to drive innovation for Australia’s forest products sector, with an agreement struck between the Commonwealth and University of Tasmania (UTAS) on the $100 million ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Institute for Forest Products Innovation (NIFPI), Acting Chief Executive Officer of AFPA, Natasa Sikman said today.
The Federal Government has announced in addition to the new agreement with UTAS – the new institute will be known under the new operational name – Australian Forest and Wood Innovations (AFWI).
Natasa Sikman said, “AFPA and the broader forest products sector welcomes this progress on the new AFWI as a step towards more exciting research and development for our sector at a time when demand for different types of forest-based products is growing massively, especially to help the environment and to mitigate against climate change.
“The NIFPI was a policy advocated for by AFPA ahead of the 2022 Federal Election and one that like the new program announced around plantation expansion this week, was also a bipartisan one. We are proud to see this progress.”
