The state government of South Australia has announced that public houses built in South Australia must use products manufactured in the state.
What this means is that the state government requires core products used in construction, including bricks, timber frames, concrete, reinforcing steel, steel frames, windows, security doors and steel for roofing, fencing and rainwater tanks, to be manufactured locally in South Australia.
According to Timberbiz, this announcement came after reforms to the government, where the new government has made promises to make policy changes that will benefit local businesses, manufacturers and workers.
The state government will also commit AU$177.5m to build 400 new homes and refurbish another 350, which will benefit local manufacturers and South Australia businesses, especially in times of a stressed housing market.
The government is further targeting an increase of $425m per year in work awarded to South Australia businesses.
“This is a big win for manufacturing industries in South Australia, particularly the forest industries, giving such sectors a boost of confidence and recognition by the state government,” Nathan Paine, CEO of South Australian Forest Products Association, said.
“Timber frames are a core manufactured product in South Australia that supports our residential construction and building industries, and we are pleased that locally grown trees will be building and refurbishing affordable public homes for South Australians.
“The South Australian forest industries processes about 35% of Australia’s structural house framing timber and about 25% of the nation’s particleboard, and it’s great news that this policy will support our domestic manufactured product over imported product thereby support local jobs.
“Not only will this initiative be supporting forestry, but it will be supporting job creation in our regions, our local and state economy and most importantly, our regional communities who rely on thriving forest industries.”
Furthermore, the cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glue-laminated timber (glulam) expansion by Timberlink is expected to help secure the southeast region of Australia as one of Australia’s leading timber manufacturing regions, unlocking further economic activity for the region.
Source: Timberbiz
