Australasian Timber September 2022 by Provincial Press Group

SEPTEMBER 2022 MANUFACTURE • TECHNOLOGY • DESIGN • CONSTRUCTION Tall hybrid collaborativeaeffort FIRE SAFETY CONSTRUCTIONIN A HOT- BUTTON ISSUE BUILDING BIG IN TASMANIA Together, we offer you complete Solid Wood Solutions.

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ber can see a project completed in a matter of weeks instead of months, as back propping is taken out of the concreting equation.

Sky’s the limit for Launceston’s mass timber build

www.timberbiz.com.au AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2022 NEWS3

“We don’t have layers of paint and gypsum and all these additional ele ments, which traditionally go into a normal concrete building fit out.

For Dayne, it’s all about working on projects with a long-term, generation al vision. This means using sustain ably sourced timbers.

CLAIRE BENNETT

“It’s also going to be put together with eight to ten carpenters rather than a team of fifty to sixty people on site, so site sheds reduce the number of concrete pumps, you don’t have any sort of road closures during the day, and the list goes on and on,” says Dayne.“For a quantity surveyor going down the full list, they’d eventually find that timber has much more ad vantages than disadvantages.”

In most cases, concrete will beat timber on price when comparing the raw materials side-by-side, but when you take a holistic view of a building, timber wins in the long run.

“When it comes to the building needing to be recycled, it can be taken down and repurposed for other builds and for other uses like afford able“Takinghousing.alead from Europe, we look at financing via the carbon tax. Build ing with mass timber would negate those carbon taxes for a building like the St Lukes Offices.”

Dayne says the key is “Using the right timber products in the right situ

AUNCESTON’S $30 million, 28-metre-high timber building is set to become the most sus tainable and carbon-positive office in Tasmania.Encompassing 500m2 of Cusp CLT, it also aims to be the first building to have a zero-carbon footprint, show ing what’s possible in the built indus try when it comes to the adoption of massSituatedtimber.on the edge of Launces ton’s CBD, the new headquarters for Tasmanian health insurer St Lukes Health will be founded on an existing structure, with its timber trusses, ex ternal walls, and concrete floor to be reutilised.TimberDesign Studio’s Dayne Davis, the specialist timber engineer behind the build, says the benefits of timber structures don’t stop at sustainability.

When it comes to how quickly a building is erected, using mass tim

“We don’t want to create an indus try where there’s over forestry and deforestation,” he says.

“We want to keep natural habitats, and we want to do it in a systematic way, which will withstand the test of time – it’s as simple as that.”

■ St Lukes Level 6.

ed timber product comes in. It’s the first certified plantation hardwood CLT in the world, making it the prime candidate for the Launceston build. Cusp’s CLT will make up the flooring on level seven of the building, a mez zanine level encompassing 560m2 of this“Forproduct.them to recognise the oppor tunity and to spend the time and investment in manufacturing it with us, says not only a lot about Cusp but also the capability of the timber.”

This is where Cusp’s cross-laminat

ation”. This means taking a whole pro ject budget appraisal when it comes to the application of mass timber.

“The very first project we did was the Australian Pavilion in Dubai. The timber was placed in one of the harshest environments in the world and it stood up to the test and worked magnificently.“StLukesHealth Offices in Launces ton will be the first, large-scale pro ject Cusp has worked on. As time goes on, it’ll become more and more financially viable to use their prod ucts. Cusp is currently scaling up to increase production.”

The Launceston timber build is set to be completed by the end of 2023.

The speed at which the building industry is becom ing engaged with mass tim ber is gaining Launceston’space.$30 million, 28-metre-high timber build ing is set to become the most sustainable and carbon-posi tive office in EncompassingTasmania.500m2 of Cusp CLT, it also aims to be the first building to have a ze ro-carbon footprint, showing what’s possible in the built industry when it comes to the adoption of mass timber.

MEDIA INDEPENDENT & AUSTRALIAN OWNED australasian

this year, FWPA unveiled the latest con sumer marketing initia tive for The Ultimate Renew able. The campaign marked a new brand ambassador, Adam Dovile.

Newly released results show how far The Ultimate Renew able message has spread.

Incorporating Australian and New Zealand EstablishedTimberman.1977.

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be one of the tallest hybrid timber buildings in world cannot be achieved without a collaborative effort.

Advertising: Gavin de Adelaideg.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.auAlmeidaOffice(08)83699517

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information and retrieval systems)

But fire safety in the con struction industry has also become a hot button issue with significant legislative changes coming into effect this month.

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EARLIER

“The Ultimate Renewable is the perfect vehicle to help companies and individuals adopt sustainable practices by using wood, and it is en couraging to see through the results of this campaign that its messages are truly reso nating with consumers and inspiring them to take ac tion,” he Followingsaid.the campaign, FWPA is planning to conduct a post-campaign customer survey, to measure success and engagement, and gain a thorough and current un derstanding of community perception around wood and forestry.TheUltimate Renewable brand was initially developed and launched in 2019. Along side consumer advertising activities, a key element of the brand is the universal, positive communications message it has created for the forestry sector to share.

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Investing in mass timber education supports BC’s workers through expanding the mass timber sector.

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The campaign was launched during the Australian Forest Products Association meeting and dinner on 14 June and was extremely well-received by industry members in at tendance.Ahighlight of the campaign was new television advertise ments that appeared nation ally across eight networks, including Ten, Nine, Seven, WIN, Prime, Southern Cross Austereo, SBS and Foxtel plus

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General Manager: Robyn Haworth

ensure

Use of mass timber is growing, but there needs to be eductaion and collaboration

As the co-chief executive of design group BVN Ninotsch ka Titchkosky told this year’s Timber Offsite Construction Conference in Melbourne, building a tower aspiring to

Andrew Leighton, CEO of FWPA, said the decision to resume consumer advertis ing for The Ultimate Renew able was largely a result of increased interest in sustain ability amongst the commu nity.

www.timberbiz.com.au4 AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2022

The

Editor: Bruce Adelaideb.mitchell@ryanmediapl.com.auMitchellOffice(08)83699512

Since the latest campaign launched, there has been a huge uptick in signups from industry members to The Ul

The aim of the campaign, which launched on June 19 and ran for two months, was to reinforce public awareness of wood’s sustainable charac teristics as well as generate consumer and industry en gagement with The Ultimate Renewable brand.

The campaign has driven strong engagement. The Ul timate Renewable website received 48,437 page views throughout the campaign, which represents a huge in crease of 1,911 per cent. On social media, 1.9 million were reached on Facebook and 251,358 on Instagram.

She of course was referring to the Atlassian building – the 75,000 square-metre, 40-sto rey hybrid timber, steel and concrete tower that will be built above Sydney’s Cen tralStation.Ifmass timber is to be a major force, and there is no reason why it should, then collaboration will be the key.

out of home billboards and signage.Dovile was front and centre in the TV campaign. A highly skilled builder and carpenter with a genuine love of timber, he passionately discussed the advantages of forest and woodTheseproducts.advertisements were supported by promotional social media activity, maga zines, podcasts, and bill boards in both metro and re gional locations.

PUBLISHER and Chief Executive: Hartley Higgins

timate Renewable Partner Program. Stakeholders con tinue to enthusiastically in corporate the brand into their own collateral, by download ing the logo, banner ads and videos for use on everything from letterheads to invoic es, websites, truck signage, packaging, and even branded cakes.“Industry response to The Ultimate Renewable contin ues to be incredibly positive. It is heartening to see that it has been embraced across our industry,” head of Market ing and Communications at FWPA Eileen Newbury said.

Issue 6 – Volume 32

SEPTEMBER 2022

And the government of Brit ish Columbia in Canada has launched a new programme to help experienced carpen ters,workersiron and builders gain the in-demand skills needed to succeed in the growing field of mass timber innova tion.

Obituary 7

been made

“With the recent marketing activity having stimulated fresh interest in the brand amongst consumers, there’s no better time to consider in corporating The Ultimate Re newable assets into your own collateral. Doing so will help to further extend the reach of the brand’s crucial messages and remind your customers about the renewable and sus tainable nature of your wood products,” she said.

Conditions

any consequences

FRONT Cover: Launceston's $30 million, 28-metrehigh timber building is set to become the most sustainable and carbon-positive office in Tasmania.

written permission of the publisher.

New FWPA campaign drives strong engagement

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MPORTED timber prices have begun to ease, with supplies now also more plentiful and easing pressure onAustralia’sshortages.construction in dustry sources up to 20 per cent of its timber from over seas and industry experts believe that, while it only makes up a minor propor tion of all the lumber used domestically, moderating prices for imported timber should flow through to pric es for local timber too. However, there could be looming supply chain con straints for the construc tion industry, with a recent report from the Australian Forest Products Association revealing that Australia’s for estry plantation estate has shrunk by the equivalent of 76,000 timber house-frames as farmers and land own ers pivot to other commodi ties with higher short term, returns. The industry body found that over the past six years the national estate has lost 230,000ha.

ware retailer Bunnings, which has a leading timber arm that sells to tradies and builders, will over the next 18 months seek to dou ble its processing plants that manufacture wooden frames and trusses used in home construction.

All loading is done outside the container. The load can be safely and quickly formed on the platform, to optimum capacity, by one forklift and a single operator.

“Our in-stock and availabil ity position, particularly in categories like timber, is a lot stronger this year,” he said.

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www.timberbiz.com.au NEWS

Rob Scott, the chief execu tive of Wesfarmers, which owns Bunnings, last month noted some prices for com

The timber shortage and price hikes persuaded some retailers to make their own investments in the sector to better cope with supply chain bottlenecks. Hard

Safety Storage Efficiency

During the pandemic a com bination of dislocated global supply chains, bushfires in North America and Australia and later the war in Ukraine strangled the availability of timber, with prices in the northern hemisphere surging as much as 400 per cent.

Mike Barry, chairman of Natbuild, the nation’s lead ing independent hardware buying group, said there had been a noticeable eas ing in timber prices recently as well as a strong build-up in available timber stock, which hardware companies were starting to feed into the market.“Imported timber is com ing off from the peak, so we are seeing declines in imported timber prices,” Mr Barry told The Australian.

“This serves as a warning to governments that policy incentives for farmers to plant production trees are critical,” he said.

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“This is devastating news for builders as it means we have lost the equivalent of 76,000 frames – that’s a city the size of Geelong,” said AFPA CEO Ross Hampton.

modities such as timber had started to moderate.

“While general inflation remains elevated, prices for some inputs such as cotton, timber and plastic resins have moderated in recent months,” he told The Adver tiser in BunningsAdelaide.boss Michael Schneider said he was see ing higher stock levels in his stores.

Easing in imported timber prices

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He received an Honorary Doctor of Letters from his alma mater, the University of Western Australia, in 2006.

He was appointed a Com panion of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 1981 and an Officer of the Order of Aus tralia (AO) in 1993 for his ser vices to the forest industries and to the community.

Further to this he was awarded the Gold Medal of the WA Division of the Aus tralian Institute of Company Directors in 1996 and the Distinguished Service Medal at the Washington State Uni versity Symposium on Wood Composite Materials in 1998.

HENKEL IN AUSTRALIA

MULTINAIl is again strength ening its long term commit ment to the timber frame and truss industry by embark ing on one of the company’s most ambitious expansion projects yet with a compre hensive upgrade of its struc tural building products and machinery technology.production,newtotheofturingtransformingtheingMultinail’smanufacturing.ChiefOperatOfficerTrentTaylorsaidinvestmentwasaimedatthemanufacfacilitiesintoacentreinnovativeexcellenceforindustry.Theexpansionisexpectedcreatemorelocaljobswithpositionstobefilledinengineeringand

• Denis Cullity with David Gray, former chairman of Australian Made, at the presentation of Wesbeam’s Australian made certificate in 2012.

Briefs

its building of three major greenfield softwood process ing plants in Western Aus tralia and a large wood panel resin manufacturing plant.

In February 2001 WESFI merged with Laminex, a member of the Amatek group. Under the merger agreement Amatek acquired all the shares in WESFI from its then shareholders.Atthesame time WESFI’s ownership of WESBEAM Pty Limited (a prospective green fields laminated veneer lum ber manufacturing company) was transferred to a new un listed public company WES BEAM Holdings Limited.

This included the construc tion and commissioning in 1976 at Dardanup in WA, of what was (until recently) Australia’s largest single line particleboard plant (WES BOARD), the building of a large pine sawmill at Darda nup in 1982 (which in 1992 became WESPINE in a joint venture between WESFI and Wesfarmers), the building of a resin manufacturing plant at Dardanup in 1985 (Dyno In dustries WA) - a joint venture between WESFI and Dyno Norway and the construc tion of a medium density fi breboard plant in Kewdale in 1990 (WESWOOD).

IMPORTED TIMBER PRICES

Denis was Executive Chair man of WESFI Limited from listing until 1996, a director from 1996 - 1999 and Chair man from 1999 – 2001.

It was the beginning of an association between the Cul lity name and the timber in dustry that endures to this day.Denis completed school in 1945 at Aquinas College and was Head Prefect and Captain of the College in his graduat ingHeyear.went on to the Univer sity of Western Australia and completed a Bachelor of Sci ence (majoring in Chemistry) before commencing his first role at CSIRO in the forestry research section.

HE timber industry in Western Australia has marked the passing of timber leader and found ing Wesbeam chairman Denis Cullity.The Board of Wesbeam announced the passing on September 5 of its major shareholder and founding Chairman, Denis Cullity AO CMG BSc FAIM FAICD. He was 94.The Cullity name and the timber industry has a long as sociation.In1928Thomas Cullity, the son of Irish immigrants, start ed Cullity Timbers in Perth Western Australia.

MULTINAIL EXPANSION

In the 1950’s after his mar riage, Denis returned to Perth and commenced working in the family company Westral ian Plywoods (which had built Australia’s largest plywood plant) and subsequently built in the late 1950’s, under Den is’ stewardship, Australia’s first particleboard manufac turing plant.

Denis signed a Wood Pro cessing (WESBEAM) Agree ment Act with the Premier of WA, Geoff Gallop in 2002. The State Agreement with the government of Western Aus tralia underpins WESBEAM’s wood security and was in strumental in ensuring Wes beam’sDuringcommencement.theperiod2005 –2013, Wesbeam moved to continuous plant operations 24 hours per day and 7 days perTheweek.plant was increased in capacity in 2008 and a large scale I Joist manufacturing plant was established at Neer abup.During the GFC, Wesbeam expanded its operations to sell its high quality, innova tive products directly to mer chants and fabricators across Australia from its own com pany warehouses located in each mainland capital city.

Denis was appointed as Knight - Order of Malta in 1997 and Knight – Order of St Gregory the Great in 2008.

www.timberbiz.com.au6 AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2022 NEWS

This change led to the suc cessful completion of a feasi bility study into the potential

HENKEL is slated to pro duce Loctite polyurethane (PUR) adhesives in Australia from H1 2023. The adhesives will be manufactured in Kil syth, Victoria, Australia, to serve the engineered wood industry across Australia and NewApprovedZealand.for use in engi neered wood construction markets, Loctite Purbond adhesives can reportedly help to manufacture glued wood components that are free from harmful industrial solvents and formaldehyde, according to Henkel. In addi tion, they can be engineered and controlled to enable the use of engineered wood in new ways.

During his time as Executive Chairman of WESFI he presid ed over a period of vigorous growth of the company and

He was also founding Chair of the Forest and Wood Prod ucts Research and Develop ment Corporation from 1994 – 2000 (now the Forest Wood Products Australia).

Denis also held positions as a Governor of the University of Notre Dame Australia and as Vice President of the WA branch of the Scout Associa tion of DenisAustralia.wasaman of intelli gence and ethics, a dedicated family man who believed in the importance of being a positive contributor to the community.Thetradition of innovation and growth led by Denis Cul lity continues to drive Wes beam forward today.

Denis retired from WES BEAM’s Board in August 2013.

WA loses a legend of the State’s timber industry

In 1971, Westralian Ply woods was listed on the ASX as WESFI Limited, and Denis was appointed WESFI’s Ex ecutive Chairman.

ELEVATED imported timber prices, which more than dou bled during the pandemic to add severe cost pressure on builders and homeowners, have begun to ease, with sup plies now also more plentiful and alleviating recent short ages of the building material.

trepreneur in 2006.

Australia’s construction industry sources as much as 20 per cent of its timber from overseas and industry experts believe that, while it only makes up a minor pro portion of all the lumber used domestically, moderating prices for imported timber should flow through to prices for local timber too.

In October 1951, Denis mar ried Ann Meagher and that union continued for the rest of his Denislife.is survived by Ann, seven of their nine children, as well as many grandchil dren and great grandchildren.

Denis became the founding Chairman and major share holder of Wesbeam Holdings Limited in 2001.

of building a world scale lami nated veneer lumber plant at Neerabup in WA.

During his substantial busi ness career Denis held a num ber of major national and international positions in the forestry industry and a num ber of directorships in other commercial and civic enter prises.Hewas a co-founder and director of Swan Television (Channel 9 Perth) from 1962 – 1984, a Director of Bankwest (1988 – 1995) and was the Ernst & Young Champion En

The tower will be built above the Youth Hostels Aus tralia hostel building, which is a heritage-listed shed that will be dismantled, rebuilt and then used as a retail hub on the ground floor and the building’s entrance.

“The fire rating was a big question in a tall building with so much CLT.

• Co-chief executive of design group BVN Ninotschka Titchkosky.

BVN is the co-designer of the project, estimated to cost about $1.4 billion, with New York-based SHoP Architects.

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Ms Titchkosky emphasised the importance of sustain ability and energy use. “The construction industry is re sponsible for 40 per cent of global carbon emissions,” she said. “Incremental change is not enough. We require radical transformation. A key component is new materials, wood, but also digitisation, advanced manufacturing and other ways of doing things –that is the trajectory which BVN faced …. getting our house in order.”

How to create a sense of be longing, a sense of commu nity in a building with 4000 people? That was the ques tion posed by the co-chief executive of design group BVN, to the Timber Offsite Construction conference in Melbourne.“That’s where Habitat comes in, the four-storey zones that go up through the building. Each one has a ‘park’ on the first level. Within each Habitat, there is mass timber construction,” she said. Every four floors domi nated by timber sits on a ‘me ga-floor’ made of concrete and steel. The lightweight sections above have a struc ture and floorplates made of timber.“Everything between is all done in timber. In the park spaces, you get a strong sense of timber construction coming through – it steps its way up the levels,” Ms Titch

The seven mega-floors each support a four-level Habitat apart from the very top habi tat, which will comprise three levels and a plant room.

PHILIP HOPKINS

matic performance of build ing was crucial, with the emphasis on how to reduce energy consumption.

T’S appropriate that the aptly named ‘Habitat’ will be intimately con nected to the many floors of timber that will make up the landmark Atlassian building inTheSydney.75,000 square-metre, 40-storey hybrid timber, steel and concrete tower that will be built above Sydney’s Cen tral Station will be ‘human ised’ as it is broken down into individual segments. Con struction of the tower began in mid-August, with comple tion due in 2027.

“That started with Atlas

Ms Titchkosky said Atlas sian came to project with big ambitions – 100 per cent renewable energy and 50 per cent less embodied car bon compared with a similar building on this site made with standard construction. Hence the focus on structure andAnotherfaçade.important aspect for design decisions that em bodied ‘Country’ within our approach and the settings, caring, embodied carbon, stakeholder engagement and “ongoing engagement with the indigenous community”, sheMssaid.Titchkosky said the cli

“We have been working with authorities on how to re fine that,” she said – “an on going area we are conscious of in a project of this nature”.

Ms Titchkosky said the her itage aspects of the urban de sign framework and precinct around Central Station were another complication.

Tall hybrid timber build a collaborative effort

However, Ms Titchkosky said you could not build a tower aspiring to be one of the tallest hybrid timber buildings in world without a collaborative effort.

kosky said. The timber ac centuates the ‘natural feel’ of the park space below, which is community-based and not owned by a particular business. “With mega-floors every four floors, the timber sits within those almost as a village,” she said.

The site is next to Central Station, the busiest train sta tion in Australia.

“The important interface with transport adds another layer of complexity driven beyond the ambition of the building itself,” Ms Titchkosky said.“Atlassian came to that site as a critical anchor,” she said. Atlassian was one of the first big projects, but others would follow – “all part of the Central Station renewal”.

sian as they key client and developer. That subse quently transferred to Dexus, who share with Atlassian as primary tenant. Equally Obayashi will be building the project; we work closely with them,” she said.

In keeping with the loca tion’s natural beauty Big Riv er Group’s premium plywood products were chosen due to their hard-wearing durability, unique visual qualities and natural, warm tones, provid ing a beautifully aesthetic interior.ArmourPanel was used for the stair walls, the entry and the living and dining walls, and ceilings. “The ease of in stallation allowed for these large areas to be covered rel

Pushing plywood to the limit in the dunes

atively quickly,” says Michael. Armourpanel is unique in ap pearance, with the species’ individual grain structures being preserved to maintain their natural characteristics so no two sheets look alike.

Internally a sense of bal ance is achieved by incorpo rating the visual elements of natural timber materials, working in harmony with the exterior materials and landscape, so that nothing feels out of place. “A natural

www.timberbiz.com.au8 AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2022 NEWS

The Forest Stewardship Council has launched a trans action verification loop (TV loop) on FSC-certified pau lownia, a type of hardwood species that is native across Asian countries, such as Chi na, Japan, Korean, Laos and Vietnam.According to FSC, a TV loop is “is the verification process required by the FSC chain of custody standard to ensure that FSC output claims made by certificate holders are ac curate and match the FSC input claims of their trading partners”. It is established by FSC and its assurance part ner, the Assurance Services International (ASI).

“Cantilever roof and deck el ements contribute to a sense of lightness in this home de signed to touch down gently on the natural sand dune to pography,” says Michael. In a relaxed style, the timber-clad beach house evokes tradi tional coastal shacks, reinter preted through a flat skillion style roof form, silver-grey ce ment walls and timber, which was chosen to complement the textures and colours of the dune landscape. “We wanted to achieve a relaxed beach house feel that timber provides,” says Michael.

Big River’s premium en gineered wood product Ar mourCab is designed specifi cally for cabinetry and joinery applications and enabled a beautifully rich and warm kitchen. The kitchen cabi netry has been created with dramatic shadow line recess es, adding further dimension and depth to the finish.

While breathtaking, the nat ural dune scape can also de liver some harsh conditions so materials were selected purposefully, to not only evoke the existing topogra

FSC timberimportedloopTVon

material pallet was selected for the interior and exterior consisting of soft greys and natural timbers so that the house would merge with the environment both inside and out,” says Michael.

Beginning with the first phase of the TV loop — data collection and analysis — FSC and ASI are revisiting FSC-certified paulownia sup ply chains to ensure that the integrity risks identified through continued monitor ing are recognised and ad dressed. Preliminary results of the first phase will be avail able in Q1 2023.

As paulownia is a high-risk supply chain for FSC, the TV loop will provide insights into the effect of FSC’s advice note — the FSC Advice Note 40004-20 — on the FSC-certified paulownia supply chains.

On a quest to find water views architect Michael Baker and his client, set out with a telescopic ladder and a deter mined resolution. A treacher ous adventure that paid off, Dune House is a stunning re sponse to site, emerging bril liantly alongside the unique constraints of its shifting sand dune environment.

This is not the first time FSC has conducted a TV loop into paulownia supply chains. In 2019, FSC and ASI launched a TV loop on FSC-certified pau lownia which revealed that between 2018-2020 none of the forest management certificate holders trading in FSC-certified paulownia had reported any sales.

For more information www.bigrivergroup.com.auvisit

The scope of the TV loop covers 67 certificate hold ers who trade in all types of products made of paulownia. Geographically, it will cover 21 countries, with a focus on China as it has the maxi mum number of companies involved in the FSC-certified paulownia supply chains.

ERCHED on the un dulating sand dunes of the Mornington Peninsula National Park, the natural rugged landscape was undoubtedly a key inspi ration for Dune House, which has been designed to engage with its environment through a carefully considered palette of natural materials and ar chitectural detail that mimics the distinctive characteristics of the Elevatedsurroundings.onslender steel poles the two-storey beach house capitalises on expan sive views through dipping dunes, invigorating bushland and the stunning coastline of St Andrews Beach. Designed by Zenibaker Architects and built by Saltvu Builders, it is set across 400sqm and con sists of two bathrooms, four bedrooms, and a main living dining zone, which was con ceived as a viewing platform to enable views across the entire“Theterrain.mainliving space was designed as a raised pavilion structure sitting high on the dune scape to allow views in all directions,” says archi tect Michael Baker, Director of Zenibaker Architects’ a lo cal peninsula design studio specialising in unique, finely crafted architecture on the Mornington Peninsula in Vic toria.Working in harmony with every element that surrounds it, the main structure has been designed to merge co hesively with its background.

“It’s the unique visual quality of the large ‘swirling’ crown grain and colour variation that creates a real feature wherever it is used.”

“The large sheltering skil lion roof overhead provides extensive weather protection in what can be a harsh coastal environment,” says Michael. “All the materials that we worked with were chosen with longevity in mind. Due to the location of the prop erty and its exposure to the elements, we required robust materials that didn’t require a high level of maintenance.”

phy but to offer protection against the extensive and im mersive landscape.

providing the building indus try and the wider economy with a buffer against the full impacts of these rate increas es.“In a typical cycle the lag from an increase in the cash rate to a slowing in home building could be as little as six months, but in this cycle, the lag will be more than 12 months,” he said.

“It will not be until mid2023 that the effects of the first rise in the cash rate ad versely impact the volume of work on the ground. Sub sequent increases in the cash

rate will have exacerbated this slow down.

“The RBA’s intention is to bring Australian inflation back to its 2-3 per cent target. But the nature of the current cycle means the RBA risks pushing the cash rate too high,” HIA Economist Tom De vitt“Atsaid.the start of this tighten ing cycle there was a record volume of building work underway and a significant volume of work still to com mence construction. This is

RBA may be going “too far” with rate rises

NEW

In July, new home sales declined by 13.1 per cent and home lending declined for all market segments – renova tors, investors and owner oc cupiers, including first home buyers.MrDevitt said the signifi cant pipeline of work still to

“With long lead times in this current cycle there is a greater risk that the impact on unemployment of a rapid rise in the cash rate will be obscured and that the RBA will overshoot with unneces sary rate increases,” he said.

www.timberbiz.com.au AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2022 NEWS9SAWMILL SIMPLYSCANNINGBETTERJS-50X6B

“However, the rise in the cash rate is compounding the impact of the rapid increase in the cost of building a new home that occurred due to

the constraints on global sup ply chains. The rising cost of construction would, by itself, have slowed building activ ity,” he said.

CARRIAGES & SHORTEDGERSINFEED

HE RBA raised its benchmark cash rate target by 0.5 per cent earlier this month, marking five consecutive monthly increases totalling 2.25 per cent, but the Housing Indus try Association has warned the RBA risks overshooting onByrates.bringing the cash rate target from its emergency policy setting of 0.1 per cent in May to the new setting of 2.35 per cent, the RBA has un dertaken its sharpest hiking cycle in almost 30 years.

complete heading into this cycle would ensure build ing activity and demand for skilled trades remains excep tionally strong through the rest of 2022 and into 2023.

• The furnace under construction in 1972 and the completed project.

These practices mean less wastage of tree products in the manufacturing process,” he“Wesaid.will engage in the con sultation process and strong ly urge the Government to listen to the science, and not the rhetoric from anti-forest ry groups that use this as a political football.”

to amaze me that many of the products that we all walk past every day, in offices, airports, schools or hospitals, will have been developed and tested at our facility at High Wycombe and we’re extremely proud of ourHework.”continues: “However, we’re not resting on our lau rels and with the significant changes we’re seeing in the built environment landscape today, we know there’s much to do if we are to continue to deliver on our purpose of making tomorrow safer than today. Our focus for the fu ture is to continue working with key trade associations and standards committees using the deep technical ex pertise we possess, particu

The Australian Forest Prod ucts Association has urged the Federal Government to heed the international sci entific consensus and advice from the United Nations’ In ternational Panel on Climate Change that sustainably sourced forest biomass is a renewable energy feedstock, following the announcement of a review into its inclusion in the Renewable Energy Tar get.AFPA Chief Executive Officer Ross Hampton said Australia should not close the door to a dispatchable renewable energy source that is widely used around the world at a time when we need more re newable energy sources.

www.timberbiz.com.au10 AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2022 NEWS

• Warringtonfire’s completed lab in 1972.

To give back to the industry that it has been a part of for the last 50 years, Peter Barker – Technical Manager at War ringtonfire will be hosting a free 2-hour “Introduction to Fire Doors” webinar on Wednesday 12th October. For full details visit www.war ringtonfire.com.

Biomass feedstockenergyrenewableis

50thisARRINGTONFIREmarkingtheanniversary

Mark Cummings, Technical Director at Warringtonfire, said: “Since 1972, we’ve con ducted tens of thousands of fire tests at our High Wy combe laboratory, all de signed to ensure that the products our customers de velop are safe, compliant and fit for purpose. It never ceases

Although Warringtonfire’s High Wycombe laboratory specialises in the testing of timber fire doors, over the years it has also tested many unusual products. These in clude the front end of a train as well as an eco-develop

The significant potential for the forestry and forest prod ucts industry to contribute to climate change mitigation, including through renewable bioenergy, is acknowledged in the 4th assessment report of the IPCC, which states: A sustainable forest man agement strategy aimed at maintaining or increasing for est carbon stocks, while pro ducing an annual sustained yield of timber, fibre or en ergy from the forest, will gen erate the largest sustained mitigation benefit.

larly of those colleagues in our Scope and Governance team, to constantly raise in dustry“Alongsidestandards.this, our people are critical to our success –they always have been. We will continue to invest in our people, developing the careers of both our existing colleagues through initia tives such as our Ignite pro gramme as well as bringing in new talent through our Graduate Intake Scheme.”

Fifty years later, what is be lieved to be the UK’s oldest existing fire resistance testing laboratory, continues to op erate. Today, it is one of War ringtonfire’s main sites and is a centre of excellence for the testing of timber fire doors.

"Our native forests are pri marily managed for highvalue hardwood timber prod ucts such as floorboards, decking, furniture and join ery. The industry then tries to find the highest value uses for the residues,” Mr Hamp ton said.

“For the Government to dis incentivise wood bioenergy would make no sense when it wants to drive a carbon constrained economy and achieve ambitious emissions reduction targets.

“We have come a long way since our first ever test at this site, and the products that our customers have devel oped and tested at our facil ity have undoubtedly had a positive impact on the built environment,” said Mr Cum mings. “It is a great founda tion on which to build on and to enable us to continue to make tomorrow safer than today over the next 50 years.”

“Bioenergy produced from sustainable biomass wood residues is carbon neutral and recognised internation ally as a renewable energy resource,” Mr Hampton said.

50th anniversary of Warringtonfire’s first commercial fire test

As well as 50 years of fire testing at High Wycombe, this year also marks two further significant milestones. It is 25 years since the introduc tion of sister company BM TRADA’s Q-Mark third party certification scheme, and 30 years since the inception of the Warringtonfire Certifire scheme. Both have played a critical role in raising stand ards of fire protection in the built environment and today are widely recognised, re spected and specified by end users across the globe.

Through its collaboration with trade associations and standards committees, War ringtonfire’s team of highly respected technical experts continue to play a pivotal role in raising standards in the fire protectionRecognisingindustry.how much customers rely on specialist technical knowledge to sup port them through the test ing process, Warringtonfire has continued to invest heav ily in building a world class team of technical experts and has one of the largest global teams in the industry.

In addition to being an early pioneer in fire testing, War ringtonfire has remained at the forefront of the industry.

ment of a straw bale house.

of its first commercial fire test, which took place at a newly completed fire testing laboratory in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, in the summer of 1972.

Any company, whether operating in the forest and wood products industry or a competing industry, takes a serious risk when promoting misleading environmental claims intended to generate profit by falsely positioning products as ‘beneficial for the environment’. This practice is known as greenwashing.

statements about environ mental credentials and im pact, it is essential to ensure all claims are accurate and verifiable,” Ms Newbury said.

Minimising risk to homes in bushfire prone areas

www.timberbiz.com.au AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2022 NEWS11

BALs are calculated to as sess the degree of risk of bushfire attack of an indi vidual building site. There are six BAL ratings, and each level has specific construc tion requirements relating to materials that may be speci fied and how they are used in residential construction.

With acceptable design de cisions that meet the require ments of AS3959, including the use of tested systems, attractive timbers homes can be built using sustainably sourced timber and wood products both inside and out. Timber can be used for house framing and all interior applications including floor, skirting architraves, and cabi

netry in all BALs. Using tested systems also allows for the use of timber in higher risk areas.You can take advantage of all the benefits of building with wood if you have the right information about how to use it in ways that comply with the standards. You don’t have to forego the advantag es of having timber in your home if you are in a bushfire prone area.

Estimate the BAL of your site with the WoodSolu tions Bushfire Calculator V2.1External link, get Expert Advice and find further in formation on using timber in bushfire prone areas at the Woodsolutions website.

response to concerns raised with FWPA by industry mem bers regarding misleading or deceptive public statements made by non-wood competi tors.“Members will benefit from guidance around what ac tions can be taken to remove or report misleading environ mental claims about wood, as well as about competing materials,” Eileen Newbury, Head of Marketing and Com munications at FWPA, said.

cluded in the kit to help guide the industry in identifying where a breach may have oc curred. Sample letters of con cern, complaint and warning are also included for those inspired to take action.

thoughts turn to designing and building to minimise the potential risk of damage to homes in bushfire prone ar eas.While some think that de signing to “build out” the ef

ITH bushfire sea son once approaching,again

fects of bushfires to minimise the risk of ember, radiant heat, and flame damage pre cludes the use of timber and wood products, this is not the case.Timber framing and wood products can be used in a range of applications for residential construction in

Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rated locations subject to the requirements of Australian Standard AS3959 - Construc tion of buildings in bushfire proneDevelopedareas. and refined over many years, AS 3959 reflects the latest in building and ma terials science, technology

and systems. The Standard is a consensus-based docu ment that is referenced by the National Construction Code.Akey requirement of AS3959 is to limit the size of gaps to reduce the potential entry of embers, as well as to minimise the effect of radiant heat from bushfire on occu pants and the building.

The WoodSolutions website provides a range of guidelines and other resources to help owners, designers and build ers enjoy the sustainable and aesthetic benefits of wood in bushfire prone areas while meeting the requirements of the Australian Standard.

specifically designed to sup port the forestry and wood products sector in remaining compliant and properly veri fying its own environmental claims. This information will help members avoid commit ting damaging breaches of their own.

Clear examples are in

Where false environmental claims are made, a breach of the misleading and deceptive conduct and false represen tation provisions covered by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and other regulatory bodies may have occurred.

OREST and Wood Products Australia’s Misleading Claims Kit has recently been updated to help the forestry and wood products industry identify and act against misleading environmental marketing claims that may reduce the appeal of timber and wood products.Thekit has been prepared with members and the sup ply chain in mind and will provide a resource to help the industry formulate legitimate environmental claims about the benefits of timber in pro motional materials.

Information and resourc es included in the kit will empower members to act against false statements that could prove damaging to the forest and wood products in dustry.“When a business manufac tures, supplies or advertises products or services with

Equally as important is the inclusion of guidance

Challenging environmentalmisleadingmarketing claims

This resource was created in

These bodies regularly monitor environmental claims made by businesses, meaning there’s a high likeli hood that those engaging in greenwashing will be identi fied.“Where breaches occur, the offending party can find themselves facing serious consequences. Aside from the legal and financial reper cussions, businesses may also suffer commercially and risk reputational damage,” Ms Newbury said.

“Our own business has al ways been about relation ships,” he says.

Maximise your timber yield, improve efficiency, and ensure the highest possible output quality.

An exciting new partnership: Stirling Machinery is now the official Australian supplier of CML Engineering products, a leading European brand, producing high-end, high-quality products, including the heavy-duty Italian made E350 and J350 multi-rip saws.

Official suppliers of CML Engineering

service, and best-in-class sup port and training.”

TIRLING Group has announced a new and meaningful part nership with Italian machin ery giant, CML Engineering.

With a history dating back to 1960 in Europe, this highly respected brand produces high-end, high-quality prod ucts, including the heavyduty E350 and J350 multi-rip saws.CML have operated in Aus tralia for thirty years and Stir ling Group’s Managing Direc tor, Craig Honeyman says the new partnership will be a reju venation of sorts.

“What we’re looking for ward to most is rebooting the

Stirling Group partners with Italian

www.timberbiz.com.au12 AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2022 NEWS

• Stirling Group Managing Director Craig Honeyman.

relationships CML has had with their existing custom ers and showing them we are ready, willing and abun dantly capable of providing them with highly responsive

The E350 features mov able blades, optimising value through timber yield and enabling width customisa tion. The J350 features fixed blades, designed for consist ency. It provides a clean, con sistent and high-quality edge for gluing and lamination. The CML range also includes automated lines to automate the process of feeding the ma chines.

Featuring movable or fixed blade machines, highly customisable automated line options to suit your business and all supported by high quality training and servicing for new and existing CML customers from our in-house team.

CML is known as a world leader in the production of multiple ripsaw cutting ma chines that integrate with scanner and laser optimisa tion systems. Made to the highest standard in the com pany’s Italian factory, every product is manufactured with great care and attention to detail.Delving deeper into the ben efits of CML’S multi-rip saws, Craig is quick to point out how

Machinery | Tooling | Maintenance | Training

Dedicated to growing your

Craig says new Australian and New Zealand customers coming onboard with CML can expect the same level of sup port. “We want new custom ers’ first experience with CML to exceed their expectations.”

much value they will bring to Australian and New Zealand businesses.“Thetechnology and de signs of the new models coming through is really first class,” Craig explains, “and they have a very, very specific role that they play here in the Australian and NZ market.”

Craig says with the price of timber increasing significant ly in the last few years, timber processors are finding they must extract more value out of every piece.

As the official Australia and New Zealand distributor for CML machines, Stirling Group is eager to extol their virtues far and “We’rewide.just very pleased to have such high-end ma chines to offer customers be cause we know the outstand ing results they produce,” Craig continues. “We’re al ways looking for solutions to better fit existing and new customers’ needs, especially as the economy changes and trends increasingly move to wards new innovations, in particular, laminated timber.”

the current generation of ma chines.“We’d like the opportunity to show you how we can sup port you with your existing machines or whether we can integrate new in-feed/outfeed technologies. We could also discuss how we can work closely with your business to recommend a tailored solu tion to provide the highest quality finishes, improve effi ciencies and maximise yield, all while reducing strain on yourConnectworkforce.”with Stirling Ma chinery for your CML Engi neering sales, support, train ing or upgrade needs.

www.timberbiz.com.au AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2022 NEWS13Machinery | Tooling | Maintenance | Training your business Are you a current CML Engineering customer? Contact us today to find out how Stirling and CML can support your www.stirlingmachinery.com.aubusiness.CallUs+61738813056 machinery giant

to produce first-class results, every time.

Existing customers who haven’t yet been introduced to the CML multi-rip saws would do well to explore the range to see how they can add value to current opera tions or establish new ones. Stirling’s deep understand ing of the products and their capacity to install them and train staff in their use is not to be underestimated. Cus tomers can expect to be thor oughly impressed by the full gamut of know-how, from consultation through to be ing fully operational.

CML’s owner, Valentino Vil la, says the decision to part ner with Stirling Group was based on Stirling’s experi ence, culture and reputation.

“It’s about how you can get the best yield out of it,” he says. “That moveable blade technology is critical in order to achieve that and it’s where CML’s specialty lies. With a CML J350 in your factory, you can fully optimise the width recovery coming from your timber.”With lamination continu ing to gain great momentum across a wide spectrum of applications, CML’s products deliver the accuracy needed.

Craig is keen to point out that existing CML customers should take a closer look at

“CML has chosen to partner with Stirling Group because of their deep expertise in timber processing machin ery. We know our customers are going to be in very good hands. We look forward to growing the CML business in Australia and New Zealand thanks to Stirling’s customer network, dedication to cus tomer service, and robust framework for support de livery. We believe that with Stirling on board, CML multirip machines will rapidly be come the products of choice in Australia and New Zealand

“Whenever you’re going to edge-glue two boards to gether,” he says, “you need a perfectly straight board and that’s very difficult to achieve. CML has conquered this through countless expe riences all over the world.”

The changes to NCC2019 were made clear to industry on May 1, 2019, providing a bit more than three years for manufacturers to re-fire test if required to the latest versions of AS1530, whether for non-combustibility or for passive fire protection fire ratings, known as FRL’s. This means that all products re quiring a fire rating, starting

penetrations were installed correctly with little detail of why or how provided from the trades. This led to some poor and non-compliant in stallations being approved. The builders just didn’t want to know as their contracts would put the certification onus on the trades,” Mr Rakic explains.“Down the track, this led to serious problems that cost strata bodies and building owners a lot of money to fix. Some builders would avoid liability by winding up their company, leaving the build ing owners or strata bodies with big bills. Of course, it is everyday Australians that end up paying. Something had to change.”

Larger Tier One builders have been specifying and using systems with the lat est fire test requirements for some time now. In anticipa tion of the changes, Trafalgar Fire has been fire-testing its products to ensure they are up to date and have launched a free knowledge centre on www.tfire.com.au for the in dustry.“We have spent over $3 million getting ready for these changes. 100% of our systems have gone through rigorous new fire testing to meet or exceed current Aus tralian standards.

www.timberbiz.com.au14 AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2022 NEWS

John Rakic, owner of Trafalgar Fire, a proudly Australian business and a leader in the fire containment industry since 1945.

The Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017.

Fire safety in construction a hot-button issue

“We had to be ready now as buildings being built under NCC2019 effectively require this if they do not finish be fore September 1, 2022,” says Mr“OurRakic.free knowledge centre and series of training videos available on Trafalgar TV, our own channel on YouTube, have been incredibly popular, indicating the huge demand for information from the in dustry. We also have techni cal manuals for just about every product system and application, including data sheets, installation guides, and FRL tables. We know it is a big change and we are here to provide support however we can,” continued Mr Rakic.

The original deadline for the changes in the National Construction Code 2019 (NCC2019) was May 1, 2022, however a recent update has provided the industry with a few extra months to pre pare, with COVID delaying the publication and adoption of NCC2022 until September 1, 2022.“It is a big wake up call. While the changes have been delayed slightly, it is not a long time in the construction industry. It is critical that de velopers, builders and trades are aware and prepared,” continued Mr “Incredibly,Rakic.prior to the new standards, any new class 2 buildings, such as high-rise apartment buildings, could use test reports from the 1950s for passive fire protec tion compliance. There was no motivation for manufac turers to retest systems to more onerous standards, which stopped product in novation. Only the lucky few who had access to older fire testing could dominate the marketplace on price, not efficacy of systems being of fered.”Passive fire protection ex ists to contain or slow down the spread of fire by compart mentalising a building into fire zones using fire-rated walls, shafts, floors, ceilings, doors and service penetra tions. Service penetrations include duct work, electrical and data cabling, plumbing and air conditioning pipes.

“In the event of a fire, pas sive fire protection is de signed to limit the spread of fire to one fire compartment, allowing people to escape safely from adjacent fire com partments. It also allows fire fighters to get into a building to put out a fire and hopefully contain it to only the fire af fected compartment,” says Mr Rakic. “It is about sav ings lives first and protecting property second.”

Mr Rakic says increased fo cus on passive fire protection through mandated inspec tions, legislative change, and dedicated building commis sioners, such as in NSW, will improve the as built environ ment for Australians.

September 1, 2022, must be fire tested to latest Australian fire test Previously,standards.there was a grandfathering clause which allowed old fire test reports and data to be used for new buildings, but this will now stop as of September 1, meaning unaware builders or developers may stop be ing compliant in the middle of a project unless they start using systems fire tested cor rectly to the new modern day

requirements.“Manybuilders used to hand-ball compliance to the various trades, which is in effective because passive fire protection needs to be looked at as a whole system or a matrix. It was impracti cal for certifiers or building surveyors to check every penetration on site and they were having to accept trade specific certification for com pliance. This would be in the form of a certificate saying all

“ These are probably the most significant changes to passive fire protection in the last 50 years and will have a monumental and positive impact. Many systems being sold and installed were fire tested over 30 years ago, and do not provide the requisite protection that modern buildings deserve,”

ITH tragedies such as the Grenfell Tower fire in Lon don and Lacrosse tower fire in Melbourne, fire safety in the construction industry has become a hot button issue with significant legislative changes coming into effect later this month.

“There is now more impe tus for buildings to be de signed in smarter and safer ways and we are finding that people are seeking versa tile and compliant solutions with our local Australia’s fire regulations. Ultimately it will lead to better and safer build ings. Hopefully it will prevent avoidable tragedies.”

tional Construction Code (NCC), formerly the Building Code of Australia, which is updated every three years and typically adopted by the various state and territories on May 1 each three-year cy cle.“We estimate that 60-70 per cent of construction is cur rently being built to NCC2019 which means that on Sep tember 1, these buildings should incorporate systems with a Fire Resistance Level (FRL) complying with the fire testing to AS1530 Part 4 –2014, not older versions like 1997 or 2005, for example,” continued Mr Rakic.

In Australia, all construc tion is governed by the Na

• The solution is in the detail. The new twist drills are equipped with the proven Z2/V2 geometry with center point. The tools are made of HS and have a cylindrical shank with a high twist pitch and polished gullet areas. (Pictures: Leitz)

post-secondary institutions, including providing CA$108.8 million toward BCIT’s new Tall Timber Student Housing, which is currently under con struction.”AttheBritish Columbia In stitute of Technology (BCIT) Applied Mass Timber Build open house, Kang announced $250,000 to support BCIT to develop additional program ming, building on the success of the new construction of mass timber structures asso ciate“Thiscertificate.programme is a game changer for our construction industry and our growing mass timber sector here in BC,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minis ter of Jobs, Economic Recov ery and Innovation. “This in vestment will help ensure BC has enough workers with the right skills to build our build ings of the future – providing clean, inclusive, sustainable economic development in every corner of the province.”

tion of high feed speed, no intermediate discharges and perfect dimensional accuracy with optimum roundness of the bore. A trifecta that can be difficult to achieve for many companies, even with a high degree of automation.

Learn 1300www.leitz.com.aumore:135127

The programme available within this range includes three different lengths –235mm, 360mm and 460mm, each with a diameter range from 12mm to 32mm. The fast, precise and efficient HS Twist Drills can be used in a wide range of workpiece ma terials used within modern wood construction and join ery systems.

evolving needs and trends within the industry globally. Leitz offers more success with solutions in new dimensions.

www.timberbiz.com.au AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2022 NEWS15

the user, offering up to 10 times longer tool life when compared to commercially available twist drills. In ad dition, machining times are reduced due to the high feed rate capabilities and no in termediate emptying during boring. This is particularly suitable for users looking for economical tooling solutions that also considers sustain ability through tool life and energy optimisation.

The tools feature optimized and stable Z2/V2 geometry of the double-edged drills and the polished gullet areas.

T Leitz Tooling Sys tems, we know that the focus on sustain ability is at the forefront for almost every industry world wide. The demand for prod ucts made from renewable raw materials, such as tim ber, is increasing.

Leitz HS-twist drill XL – the expert for deep holes in solid wood

The HS twist drills XL from Leitz promise to provide sig nificantly more efficiency and productivity when drilling in CLT, KVH and other solid wood construction elements.

The new Leitz HS Twist Drill XL presents a solution that is ideal for fast and deep drill ing.The goal for perfect drill ing processing is a combina

The result of this demand means that the woodworking industry is looking for solu tions to increase efficiency and save time. This is espe cially true for the wood con struction industry with deep hole drilling. Drilling is an aspect that can cause bottle necks in processing, particu larly for the joinery sector.

Canada pushing the mass timber concept

HE government of British Columbia in Canada has launched a new programme to help experienced carpenters, iron workers and builders gain the in-demand skills needed to succeed in the growing field of mass timber innovation.

Investing in mass timber education supports BC’s

workers through expand ing the mass timber sector. It strengthens the Strong erBC Economic Plan and the province’s climate goals by supporting clean growth and renewable resources.

According to a press release by the government of BC, the construction of mass timber structures associate certifi cate is a part-time, blended six-month programme. It is delivered online, with a twoweek practicum at the BCIT Burnaby campus, where stu

This new generation of drills offers the opportunity to benefit from Leitz extensive knowledge and experience, and investment in research and technology, to ensure our tools always meet the

Leitz specialists achieved in creased success with these drills through the develop ment of a unique cutting material specially designed for these tools. This material ensures stability, increased durability and reliability for

which will help people suc ceed and be future ready in a sector that is setting the example of how to build a better British Columbia for all,” said Anne Kang, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills“We’reTraining.alsoinvesting in stu dent housing and projects that involve mass timber at

“We are investing in new post-secondary training for students to become leaders in mass timber construction,

dents gain hands-on instal lation experience with mass timber structures. A cohort of 12-24 students will start in January 2023.

The growing mass timber sector will support more than 4,000 jobs in manufacturing, technology, forestry, design and engineering, and bring new jobs to communities throughout the province.

The mass timber sector will promote new technologies and approaches to further support existing jobs, with a projected worth of $403m by 2035.“As the largest provider of trades training in West ern Canada, it’s critical that BCIT is delivering relevant, hands-on training to help learners master in-demand skills, while contributing to ward an agile workforce with sustained and meaningful impact,” said Wayne Hand, dean, BCIT’s school of con struction and the environ ment.“This investment from the province of British Columbia allows more trades profes sionals in upskilling to ad vance mass timber innova tion, clean-energy solutions, as well as the economic pros perity of BC.”

www.timberbiz.com.au16 AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2022 FRAMING

• The Timber Framing Collective is introducing a suite of easy to use creative resources to help share the remarkable green story of Timber Framing - The Ultimate Renewable - one of the only building materials that’s 100% renewable and sustainable, with each timber framed house roughly offsetting the CO2 emissions of three family cars per year.

Thesemore.assets

Fresh resources to shape green story of framingtimber

materials with their clients,” Mr Hy ettAnyonesaid.

The collective is financially sup ported by Australian sawmills, tim ber importers, industry associations and peak bodies, building products and treatment suppliers.

Resources can be downloaded from the updated Timber Framing – The Ultimate Renewable renewabletimberframing.com.auwebsite:

Richard Hyett Timber Framing Collective spokesperson

The campaign and assets were de veloped after research showed that despite timber framing being one of the most eco-friendly building ma terials, many people still think cut ting down trees is a bad thing. And despite most builders and fabrica tors preferring to work with timber, many have been steered to other materials due to consumer demand.

HROUGH these new re sources, the Timber Framing Collective aims to empower the entire supply chain, from grow ers to consumers, to proudly stand up for timber and their craft.

“Our research also showed that 78% of consumers would like an ecofriendly building material option from their builder or supplier, but less than half of builders and suppli ers are likely to discuss sustainable

in the entire industry has unlimited access to all the assets that can be shared across social and digital platforms, presented to prospective clients, displayed in of fices and display suites, and used to proudly share the message across every touchpoint—whenever and wherever best suits each organisa tion. The resources include videos, brochures, fact sheets, social assets and

“By equipping everyone involved, these videos and assets provide the tools and knowledge needed to guide people back to a deep-seated love of timber framing,” Timber Framing Collective spokesperson, Richard Hyett, said.

enable anyone in the supply chain to learn more about timber framing, and give their clients access to engaging and educational content to help them make a more informed decision—which is exactly what consumers are asking for.

The new assets are a part of a new campaign, Let’s Build a Better World, for the Timber Framing - The Ulti mate Renewable brand, designed to celebrate the contribution our in dustry is making to help our planet as well as the rational benefits of timber framing (durable, reliable, workable, etc), the innovation of our industry and the people involved throughout production and supply.

“ By timberdeep-seatedpeopleneededtoolsassetstheseeveryoneequippinginvolved,videosandprovidetheandknowledgetoguidebacktoaloveofframing, ”

One timber-related change proposed by FWPA that was accepted as part of the new NCC relates to the attach

ment of timber decking. This update involves the accepted sizes of ledger plates (also known as ‘wall plates’), which are used to attach decking to buildings or ings.timberterusedwillthenominatedlymonreducedsizeSpecifically,structures.theminimumofledgerplateshasbeentoastandard/comtimbersize,andtypicalavailablefixingshavebeenforthefixingofplates.ThismodificationmeantheledgerplatesgoingforwardwillbetaccommodatecommonelementsizesandfixTheNCC2022willalsorequiretheinstallationof‘accessibilityfeatures’,withaviewtoincreasingthestockofaccessiblehousingtosupportAustralianswithdisabilityandolderAustralians,theirfamilies,andcarers.Implicationsofthischangefortheuseoftimbermightincludetheinstallationofwoodenrampstoprovidestep-freeaccesstoraisedtimberfloors;installationofgrabrailsintoilets,showersand

www.timberbiz.com.au AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2022 CONSTRUCTION17Our Invisible Hero. Introducing Intergrain® Enviropro® Invisible Finish Provides a finish with the appearance of bare wood Provides feel of natural timber Highly durable with excellent scratch and stain resistance No sealer required (2 coat system)

Suitable

Enviropro®

baths created using timber noggings or sheeting, and the requirement for wider timber doors, door frames, and wall frames.Significant changes have also been made in relation to improving the energy ef ficiency of construction practices, many of which will impact how timber is used in buildings post-adoption.

The NCC sets the minimum technical design and con struction provisions for Aus tralian buildings, and several changes included will impact the way timber can be used.

NCA code delayed

As part of the development process of the NCC 2022, FWPA submitted several pro posals seeking modifications or additions in relation to the use of timber products.

Invisible Floor Finish is a hard-wearing clear with an invisible sheen that provides the appearance and feel of uncoated timber. Invisible Floor Finish removes the glossy appearance from existing timber floors with one coat^ and no sanding, helping transform and modernise whilst providing excellent water, stain and abrasion resistance.

USTRALIA’S Nation al Construction Code (NCC) 2022, which was initially slated for release in September, has been de layed and is now unlikely to be published until at least October. Here, FWPA pro vides an overview of what the forestry and wood products sector can expect.

for vertical timber structures and timber floors. ^Apply 2 coats for optimal durability and stain resistance. Visit: intergrain.com.au/Industrial/ Or call: 1800 630 285

Unfortunately, due to the vol ume of requests received, the majority of timber-related re quests will not be considered until the code is revisited again in 2025.

Read more on the range of changes of interest to the industry on the National Construction Code website at propriate.makingofguidesflected.numberschangesbereferencetechnicalchanges,about-ncc-2022news/2022/whats-new-https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/InlightoftheNCC2022allWoodSolutionsdesignguidesthatthecodeneedtoupdatedtoensureanytothevariousclauseareaccuratelyreTheauthorsoftheseareintheprocesscheckingallcontentandupdateswhereap

You can be assured that wood carrying the Responsible Wood mark has come from certiﬁed Australian forests that are sustainably managed to the highest global standards.

Australian Forest Products Association CEO Ross Hamp ton said the report clearly demonstrated that increas ing use of timber and fibre was critical to fighting cli mate change and that Aus tralia needed more sustain able“Australiaforestry.and the world is turning more and more to timber and fibre products to fight climate change and improve the state of the envi ronment. This is why we must get one billion new produc tion trees planted locally by 2030 to meet Australia’s fu ture needs, to allow a greater take-up in mid and largescale timber construction,” Mr Hampton said.

UILDING new homes from timber could save about 10 per cent of the world’s carbon budget which is needed to limit global warming to 2 degrees according to a new study from the Potsdam In stitute for Climate Impact Research.Thestudy, published in the Nature Communications journal, found that housing 90% of the world’s growing urban population in mid-rise timber buildings could avoid 106 billion tons of carbon emissions by 2100.

relying on imports to meet fu ture growth in demand.”

Beautiful. Natural. Sustainable. Australian. responsiblewood.org.au

“This study confirms that building with sustainablysourced timber delivers the best climate mitigation out come, and will become in creasingly important if South Australia, Australia and the world are to meet our ambi tious emissions reduction goals,” Mr Paine said.

Royd Clan House, Victoria Winner of the 2021 Australian Timber Design, Australian Certified Timber Category

“South Australia is well placed to become a leader in mid and high-rise timber construction with the new

“It’s also why Australia must lead the world on promoting sustainable forest practices, including reducing deforesta tion, enhancing sustainable native forest management, and growing plantations. This is all required to feed world demand over the next century,” he said.

to fight climate change and improve the state of the envi ronment. This is why we must get one billion new produc tion trees planted locally by 2030 to meet Australia’s fu ture needs, to allow a greater take-up in mid and largescale timber construction.

“The good news is that in Australia we have ample un der-utilised rural land that is suitable for growing the plan tation estate without replac ing productive farmland.

Timberlink combined CLT/ GLT plant being constructed in Tarpeena in the South East. We already have a cou ple mass timber buildings including the Adelaide Oval Hotel, with many more in the pipeline. We also have a strong timber house frame manufacturing sector experi encing high demand.

“We need to urgently grow the plantation estate and maintain the modest levels of timber production in our multi-use forests so we can maintain and boost our man ufacturing capacity instead of

www.timberbiz.com.au18 AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2022 CONSTRUCTION

Timber could limit global warming

South Australia already has more around 180,000 hec tares of plantations across the state which are replanted after harvest to provide a perpetual carbon sink that is already making an enor mous contribution to South Australia’s net zero emissions goal.“Furthermore, half the weight of timber is stored carbon, so every time we build with timber that has been grown, manufactured and replanted in South Aus

tralia we get an even better climate change mitigation benefit,” Mr Paine said.

“The reality is that the world needs more wood fi bre. In Australia, we have the land, the industry and the expertise to boost our timber production and do more with wood – the ultimate renew able,” Mr Paine said.

South Australian Forest Products Association CEO Nathan Paine said South Aus tralia could be a world leader on sustainable, low-emission timber construction, as we have an innovative local tim ber manufacturing industry and potential to grow the timber plantation estate.

“Australia and the world is turning more and more to timber and fibre products

www.timberbiz.com.au AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2022 19

The decision to push back the introduction of these im portant WHS changes, was

What I was impressed with, was how much our industry has progressed since my last visit and even though many of us expected the prefabrica tion market to grow quicker, it is slowly happening, due to the innovative approach fab ricators are taking.

It never ceases to amaze me, how big the State is, and on this trip we travelled from Perth to Albany, via Busselton and way up to Geraldton to see new members Coral Coast Homes, the new owners of Geraldton Roof Trusses.

• The proposed WHS changes around falls from heights has been pushed back to March 2024. These laws would have brought WA in line with the rest of the country, and this is something we believe will have a real im pact on the builders decisions between stick and truss roof construction methods.

There are many other issues that timber fabricators have to battle in the West such as:

ASSOCIATIONS

FOR

FTMA Australia is an independent, national organisation representing fabricators of and suppliers to the timber prefabricated truss and wall frame industry in all Australian states & territories providing a uniﬁed voice, to protect and advance our multi-billion dollar industry.

WA’s market is definitely still a double brick, stick built en vironment, however, slowly, but surely the offsite prefabri cation market is growing.

I last toured the Wespine facility during my TCA days (nearly 20 years ago), and I was blown away by the investment made and the lengths Wespine go to, to maximise the structural tim ber cut from every log pro cessed in the mill.

As for Vekta, WOW. Their new factory and office are huge and well laid out. You can understand why they are so busy manufacturing new equipment for our industry with many orders being final ised in the factory.

FTMA heads West for post-Covid trip Ed and Shelena Serrano from Vekta Automation with Carbon Warriors Kersten and Nikita Gentle.

FRAME & TRUSS ASSOCIATIONMANUFACTURERSOFAUSTRALIA

During the visit we also managed to catch up with Silver Sponsors Wespine and Vekta Automation, where we toured both facilities.

AustraliaFTMAOfficerExecutive

•

Some say this is a good thing, as it shows builders are moving away from dou ble brick towards lightweight construction, however, what about the environmental foot print from these steel homes which are literally ‘steeling’ our children’s future.

• Chippies wanting the same money to erect prefabri cated trusses, as they do stick built roofs.

FTMA Australia thanks our dedicated supporters and encourages you to support those who support your industry

I should also point out the work being done by the nail plate companies with Chris Shaw (Pryda) and Brad Ridolfi (MiTek) providing outstanding support for fabricators and the wider industry.

There is no doubt the pas sion and the drive for change is there, and FTMA looks for ward to working with fabrica tors and suppliers to address the many issues facing the in dustry and later this year will be hosting a seminar to bring allThanktogether.you to those who took the time to see us and congratulations to all, for their innovative approach to driving change in the West ern Australian construction industry.

the first time since COVID, FTMA headed to Western Australia for a week full of visits to fabrica tors and suppliers, traveling just shy of 2000kms to fit in our 16 visits.

For a full list of the conditions of membership and a downloadable application form visit: www.ftmanews.com.au GOLD BRONZESILVERSPONSORSSPONSORSSPONSORS “We support you!”

predominantly pushed by building associations, which is extremely disappointing, as safety should always come first.Driving through various new estates to get a good look at the construction meth ods, I was surprised with the amount of lightweight steel.

The Western Australia mar ket for timber fabricators is like nothing else in Australia, and I’d reckon the WA design ers have one of the hardest jobs in the country, as very few roofs are the same, fea turing so many hips and val leys.Itwill shock those in the East that builders claim it is more affordable to have their roofs stick built, due to the complexity of the roof design.

Now, when I say it is more affordable to stick build, there are many contributing factors as to why this could possibly be the case. Firstly, as men tioned above, every roof is dif ferent. Once you see it in the estates, you can’t unsee it and I was shocked with the huge variations in roof designs.

GENTLEKERSTEN

• There are no legal re quirements to have building works certified, like they do in the East, which in my opinion, benefits stick built over our quality engineered products.

In the past 2 months, FTMA has had three new WA mem bers with Coral Coast (Ger aldton Roof Trusses) and in August we welcomed Clint Wells of Worldwide Truss & Frames in Mundijong and Kenny McGonnell of Pinelock Systems in Albany.

Adverse action, workplace rights and protected attributes

• offering prospective em ployees different and unfair terms and conditions com pared to other employees that do not possess the same protected companiestiesforofbreach.(FWC)tosolveOmbudsmanassistancesuchcanbreachtheycriminationeraltopearances.causepersontitlederwhilstpurelyroleclude:protectedadverseExamplescharacteristic(s).ofprohibitedactionbasedoncharacteristicsin•decidingnottoofferatoanolderemployeebasedupontheirageofferingrolestoyoungemployeeswhomaybeentojuniorratesofpay,or•preventingapregnantfromworkingbeofconcernsaboutapStepsemployeescantakeaddressbreachesofgenprotectionsand/ordisprovisionsAnemployeewhobelieveshavebeensubjectedtoaofgeneralprotection,takestepstoaddressclaims.AnemployeemayrequestfromtheFairWork(FWO)toreadisputeormayapplytheFairWorkCommissiontoaddressanallegedPenaltiesinexcess$13,000canbebroughtindividuals,whilstpenalof$66,000ormoreforcanbeissuedifa

• not hiring someone be cause of a protected charac teristic; and

• Utilise a fair and unbi ased employment process;

Understanding protected workplace rights and how they exist is important when conducting your business. These rights are outlined in the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act) and in anti-discrimina tionEverylegislation.Australian employee has the right to:

An employee may pos sess particular protected at tributes. These are personal characteristics for which an employee has the right to non-discrimination. Protect ed attributes include race, colour, sex, sexual orienta tion, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, fam ily or carer’s responsibilities, pregnancy, religion, political opinion, national extraction and social origin.

• Dismissals:

vantage an employee;

The WEP requires responsi bly sourced wood be consid ered, where feasible, as the primary construction mate rial in all new build and refur bishment projects.

If the AHRC elects to con tinue the investigation, they may enter into conciliation with members and the em ployee to determine how best to resolve the complaint. This may take the form of an apology, a change of policy, or compensation. If the com plaint is not discontinued

In the workplace, such pro tected rights are exempt from unlawful acts such as adverse action, misrepresentations, undue influence or pressure in relation to individual flex ibility arrangements under modern awards and enter prise agreements, guaran tees of annual earnings and deductions from wages.

WESTERN Australia has joined Tasmania to become the second state government to adopt a state-wide Wood Encouragement Policy.

australasian

• changing a job to disad

www.timberbiz.com.au20 AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2022

It does not in any way man date the use of timber.

The following practical steps can assist members to reduce legal risk:

2019

• Encourage workers to respect each other’s differ ences;•Respond to any evi dence or complaints of inap propriate behaviour rather than ignoring it, including engaging in appropriate in vestigations and disciplinary action;•Deal with any com plaints or allegations of dis crimination promptly and confidentially;•Developworkplace cul ture that resists discrimina tion;•

Tips to reduce general pro tection risks in the workplace

following this, the AHRC will analyse or investigate the cir cumstances and execute rele vant proceedings, which may include legal proceedings.

MPLOYERS need to be aware of the pro tected workplace rights workers are entitled to in their Protectedemployment.workplace rights

• Treat all employees fair ly and in the same manner;

Among the policy aims council wanted to ‘lead the way through encouraging sustainable adoption and sourcing of timber as a build ing material’, and to ‘promote the industry as a renewable and sustainable resource along with the advantages of timber based products in the design and construction phase of council projects’.

members can contact our Employment Law team on 1800 888 479 for more information on adverse action and workplace rights, and if a general protections claim has been made by an employee.Ifyouare interested in learning about the benefits of MGA TMA membership, please contact us on (03) 9824 4111 to discuss.

Train supervisors and managers on how what types of conduct are discriminatory and how to respond to dis crimination in the workplace; and•

• Disputes:

general protection has been breached.Themain types of applica tions made by an employee who believes they have been subjected to a breach of gen eral protection are:

If an employee believes they have been dismissed and alleges that their dis missal was in contravention of the general protections provisions, they may make an application to the FWC to deal with the dismissal in the first instance. A general pro tections dismissal applica tion must be lodged within 21 days of the dismissal taking effect.Discrimination complaints at the Australian Human RightsEmployeesCommissioncanfile a dis crimination complaint through the Australian Hu man Rights Commission (AHRC). The AHRC is an inde pendent body focused on in vestigating complaints about discrimination breaches.

Ensure any workplace policies are properly enforced and regularly reviewed and updated.MGATMA

2011

• engage in industrial ac tivities•be free from unlawful discrimination•befreefrom undue influ ence or pressure in negotiat ing individual arrangements.

• Implement an equal op portunity and anti-discrimi nation policy;

EAST GIPPSLAND Shire Council is the latest to adopt a Wood Encouragement Policy (WEP). Two regional and seven local councils have now adopted a WEP in Australia, and Rotorua Lakes Council has done some ground-breaking work in New Zealand.

A WEP generally requires responsibly sourced wood to be considered, where feasi ble, as the primary construc tion material in council build ing and fit out projects.

The Act prevents members from taking adverse action against employees or pro spective employees based on theseAdversecharacteristics.actionincludes the doing, threatening or organ ising of any of these actions based on protected charac teristics:•dismissal;•injuringthe employee in the form of refusing to give leave or pay;

• treating an employee differently than any other employee based on a pro tected characteristic;

Protected attributes, ad verse action and prohibited member conduct

The AHRC does not act as an advocate or legal rep resentative for a party to a complaint. Employees may file a written complaint about a perceived experience of discrimination online and the AHRC will investigate the circumstances surrounding the complaint. The AHRC will provide members with a copy of the complaint and outline what is being alleged, re questing additional informa tion as required.

Looking back 2019

2016

MARIE-CLAIRE MCKIERNAN NATIONAL MEMBERSHIP MANAGER

NATIONAL BUILDING com mencements are expected to recover after suffering a 12% decline last year, new data from BIS Shrapnel has revealed.According to the company’s Building in Australia 2011 re port, the decline in building activity in 2010/11 has been almost entirely due to the winding down of construc tion related to the “Building Education Revolution” pro gram.This fall-off more than off set the emerging recovery in commercial and industrial building. However, even after the lows brought about dur ing the GFC, it is the recovery in commercial and indus trial building which will help to underpin the growth in 2011/12.

ASSOCIATIONS

If an employee has not been dismissed but alleges that there has been some other contravention of the general protections provisions, they may make an application to the FWC to assess and deal with the dispute; or

• Emphasise open dia logue between employees and managerial staff;

REPEATABLE FINISH ON MDF AND TIMBER MOULDINGS SUPERIOR FINISH OF PRIMING/ PAINTING ON TIMBER & MDF BOARDS FREE UP YOUR WORKFORCE TO COMPLETE OTHER TASKS REDUCED WASTE OF YOUR PAINT AND STAIN PRODUCTS SMART SOLUTIONS FOR SMART TIMBER PEOPLE

With that said, recycled timber doesn’t need to be considered on such a large scale. Many smaller busi nesses reclaim timber from local sources, essentially anywhere they can find dis carded wood or wood prod ucts. From there, they manu facture a range of products

habitat for countless forms of wildlife and fauna, and these habitats are severely compromised by illegal log ging. But even for those who aren’t concerned about the fate of our wildlife, there’s an other good reason to protect forests. Trees are estimated to hold around 40% of the carbon produced on earth. This helps to control damage to the ozone layer and effec tively keeps our planet alive.

www.timberbiz.com.au AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2022 RECYCLING21MPBENGINEERING.COM.AU WE GUARANTEE QUALITY & INNOVATION (03) 9702 7933 100% AUSTRALIAN OWNED AND OPERATED VACUUMADVANTAGES:COATING

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including furniture, made wholly from recycled timber.

There are so many different businesses that use timber.

VACUUM COATERS

Making the most from recycled timber

From building companies to furniture manufacturers, tim ber can be found in so many of the products we use every day. Here are some tips for businesses. Check out the Responsible Wood website to find businesses that source their timber sustainably.

Helping forest owners be come certified as sustainable is just part of the process.

LOWER PRIMING COSTS PROFIT MARGINS SPEED OF TIMBER MDF MOULDINGS

OU’VE probably heard of recycled tim ber, or reclaimed tim ber as it is sometimes known.

Responsible Wood is the Australian national governing body for the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Cer tification (PEFC), the world’s largest forest certification system. Responsible Wood or PEFC certified recycled tim ber is a form of sustainable timber. However, sustainable timber refers to any timber that’s been sourced ethically

through certified forests. To be considered sustain able, timber must come from sustainably and ethicallymanaged forests. These for ests are managed with strict adherence to global bench marks that have been devel oped by a range of stakehold ers.Illegal logging practices all over the world are hav ing a catastrophic effect on the planet. Forests provide a

The slicing process also needs soft wood. As a first step the ‘flitch’ used to pro duce sliced veneers is cooked in hot water. Two effects are achieved by cooking:

of the different cuts can be found in the Timber Veneer Association’s literature

BRIAN BEECROFT CEO, TTIA ofAssociationTimberrepresentative,TechnicalVeneerAustralia

the operative date.

LLEWELLYNPETER

time – for example the colour of white beech is changed by cooking to a pink or salmoncolouredAccordinghue.to how the flitch is presented to the knife, so different grain patterns are achieved – flat cut, quarter cut, rift cut and so on. Images

• The wood is given the necessary suppleness to en sure smooth slicing.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

payable at the rate that the employee would have earned had they worked instead of taking the leave (instead of being payable at base rates).

• The colour of the veneer is influenced by the cooking

www.timberbiz.com.au22 AUSTRALASIAN TIMBER September 2022 ASSOCIATIONS

‘up front’ and is paid out at a higher rate than the entitle ment determined by the Full Bench of the Fair Work Com mission.TheBill would give rise to a new form of paid leave under the NES which:

1. is accessible by all em ployees including casuals who have been ‘rostered’ (e.g. have accepted an offer to2.work),isavailable ‘upfront’,

year,3.is

Once industrial machines were able to slice wood in high quantities, veneer be came a popular choice in the Victorian era, and was no longer confined to the rich. The process of veneer manu facturing has been refined everToday,since.veneers are pro duced either by slicing or rotary peeling. Generally decorative veneers are sliced while more utilitarian ve neers, as used to produce

I’m the first to admit it’s not always the case that the in terests of TTIA and its mem bers align with the objectives of the CFMEU.

plywood, are rotary peeled.

MPLOYERS may be aware from recent widespread media re ports that the federal govern ment has introduced a Bill to create a national entitlement to 10 days paid family and do mestic violence leave (FDVL) into the National Employ ment Standards (NES).

Rotary peeling involves ro tating a log against a knife on a peeling lathe so the veneer peels off in a continuous rib bon, much like unrolling a roll of paper. As it unrolls it is clipped into the required lengths. Logs are peeled while green, when the wood is softer, and the veneers are then kiln dried before glu ing and pressing to produce sheets of plywood.

It will also allow all em ployees including casuals to take paid leave from the commencement of their em ployment. In a number of other changes, the definition of Family and Domestic Vio lence has been extended to include conduct by a member of a person’s household and a current or former intimate partner, and the entitlement has been extended to nonnational system employees. As the bill introduces a new entitlement to the NES, the new form of paid leave will apply to all national system employees, including em

meaning the leave does not accrue and is available in full (i.e. 10 days of pay) at the commencement of every

Employers should be pre pared for the proposed new entitlement to commence on 1 February 2023 for employ ees employed by other than a small business employer. To recognise the unique needs of small business with lim ited human resources, an ad ditional transition period of six months will be provided for employers who meet the definition of small business employer in the Act as of 1 February 2023 (i.e. fewer than 15TTIAemployees).willremind Members of the changes again closer to

The ancient Romans also produced veneers by saw ing thin slices of wood. With a pause in the Middle Ages, veneer production enjoyed a resurgence during the Re naissance, again using saws to slice exotic species.

GROWING OUR FUTURE

In the early 19th century many manufacturing pro cesses were automated with the use of steam and water power. Veneer production

That said, I’ve been provid ed with this excellent U-Tube clip from a senior official of the CFMEU on both the po litical and supply chain chal lenges we face as an industry. The clip contains interviews from employees as well an employer in the Tumut re prosperousjobs,workingofandandregularneedswatch?v=xfETr2hQ_Cg.gion.https://www.youtube.com/It’saworthymessagethattobereinforcedonabasiswithpoliticiansthegeneralcommunityisanexcellentexamplethewholetimberindustrytogethertosupporttheenvironmentandafuture.

IMBER veneers have been produced for thousands of veneers and were used by the ancient Egyptians to enhance the ap pearance of furniture for the rich.Veneers - particularly eb ony and ivory - were cut using a primitive saw, and exam ples have been found in the tombs of the Pharaohs.

was no exception.

Key points: The proposed bill is seeking a form of paid leave which is broader in scope, is available

ployees under enterprise agreements which already have paid FDVL entitlements. The bill includes an avenue for the Fair Work Commission to resolve ambiguities and inconsistencies between the new NES entitlement and ex isting enterprise agreement entitlements.

The proposed entitlement replaces the current NES en titlement of five days unpaid FDVL and is available where an employee needs time off work to do something to deal with the impact of family and domestic violence in circum stances where they cannot attend to matters outside of work hours. It is not uncom mon for entitlements that were initially introduced by government on an unpaid leave basis to be converted to paid leave entitlements at a later date.

New legislation - paid family and domestic violence leave

‘WhoTVAAmembernies’andwww.timberveneer.asn.au,atonTVAAmembercompawebsites.Tofindalocalcompany,gotothewebsiteandclickontheWeAre’tab.

Veneers have a history going back to the ancient Egyptians

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