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Illegal Logging
The Australian Government recognises that illegal logging presents a serious threat to forests in our region and imposes substantial economic and social costs on countries where it occurs. The Government strongly opposes illegal logging and the trade in illegally sourced forest products and recognises that the issues associated with illegal logging need to be addressed in a number of ways that:
- are consistent with the Australian Government’s policies on international trade and environment issues
- comply with World Trade Organization rules
- are consistent with regional and international processes being developed to combat illegal logging;
- support sustainable development in developing countries that depend on forestry for their economic and social well-being, and
- ensure equitable treatment for domestic and imported wood products.
In response to this complex issue, on 3 October 2007 the Australian Government released its policy Bringing Down the Axe on Illegal Logging – An Australian Government policy to eliminate trade in illegally sourced forest products 
PDF [452kb].
Domestic Measures
Measure 1
Work with industry to develop a voluntary measure to establish the legality of imported forest products.
The aim of this measure is to develop and implement an uniform approach to trade in legally sourced forest products in Australia. The Government recognises that individual businesses may also choose to establish their own initiatives to demonstrate the legality of the source of forest products.
Measure 2
Raise market and consumer awareness about illegal logging and the Government’s policy.
The aim of this measure is to develop educational materials for importers, wholesalers, retailers and consumers to raise their awareness and understanding of illegal logging, the benefits of purchasing legally and sustainably produced forest products, and the actions they can take to tackle the problem.
Measure 3
Develop guidelines for the public and private sectors to facilitate the purchase of forest products from legal and sustainable sources.
The aim of this measure is to encourage the adoption of public and private sector procurement policies and guidelines for the purchase of legally and sustainably sourced forest products.
Measure 4
Promote certification and product chain-of-custody schemes for Australian forest products.
The aim of this measure is to promote the adoption of forest certification and product chain-of-custody schemes that provide proof of legality and sustainability of Australian forest products from the forest to point of sale and to ensure that both Australian and imported products are treated consistently.
Measure 5
Foster and develop the Australian forest industry, particularly in areas such as high-value timbers and value-added products.
The aim of this measure is to support the expansion of the plantation sector and development of the timber processing sector, and to add value to our existing timber resources.
Regional & International Measures
Measure 6
Work bilaterally and multilaterally with other countries, international organisations and the private sector to improve forest management practices and to increase the supply of legally sourced and certified forest products.
The aim of this measure is to assist countries that export forest products, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, to develop credible systems to verify the legality and sustainability of forest products, including through improved forest management and implementation of forest law enforcement and governance processes.
Measure 7
Increase collaboration with countries to help combat illegal logging in the Asia-Pacific region.
The aim of this measure is to develop stronger and better coordinated policies, strategies and action plans to combat illegal logging in the Asia-Pacific region.
Measure 8
Promote policies and strategies at international forums that encourage greater implementation of legal and sustainable forest management practices, forest certification and product chain-of-custody schemes.
The aim of this measure is to promote an effective and coordinated approach to the development of policies, strategies and actions to achieve sustainable forest management and legal trade in forest products on a global scale.
Consultation
In developing the policy, the Government consulted with Australian timber importers, wholesalers and retailers, the general public, other government agencies and non-government organisations, including conservation groups.
An industry workshop, co-sponsored by the DAFF and the Australian Timber Importers Federation, was held in June 2007 to plan a way forward regarding the verification of legal sources of forest products.
A public seminar was also held in Canberra in June 2007 to explore current progress and issues, both within Australia and overseas, in developing polices and procedures to ensure the legality of trade in forest products.
Prior to considering its policy approach to the issue of illegal logging, the DAFF commissioned two reports:
- Overview of Illegal Logging PDF [170kb] by the international forestry and environmental consultancy firm, Jaakko Poyry Consulting, on the impact of illegal logging on Australian forest and wood product imports; and
- A review of the current policies employed by timber and timber product importers to determine legality of supply PDF [496kb] was jointly commissioned with the Australian Timber Importers Federation to review the mechanisms and policies Australian importers use to demonstrate the legality of timber imports.
