Government building stimulus give the chance to realise the dream of a freestanding Aussie timber home
The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) has welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement of the $688 million Homebuilder Program and is calling on recipients to back their fellow Australians by ensuring their new home is built with locally grown and processed timber products.
The Homebuilder program which provides up to $25,000 in grants for new homes and major renovation comes after calls for a stimulus package from AFPA and the housing and construction industry.
This stimulus strategically builds on existing State measures already in place to incentivise new home construction. AFPA has been forecasting that sawn timber demand could drop by up to 50 per cent by year end, putting many of the 45,000 jobs in the softwood timber supply chain at risk, as well as having a devastating impact on regional communities.
The Chief Executive Officer of AFPA Ross Hampton said, “Our industries have been saying whilst the federal and state Governments have done an outstanding job in saving lives, equal attention must now turn to saving livelihoods. The Federal Government, led by Minister for Housing The Hon Michael Sukkar and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, has shown with this package it has listened and acted.”
Mr Hampton said, “New home buyers can not only access this $25,000 federal grant but can complement that with the range of state based incentives, providing in some places up to $50,000 in total Government support. This is a wonderful opportunity for Australians to make the leap into a new dwelling – be it first home or not. The key to making this package work for our whole community is for those thousands of purchasers to prioritise the use of local products – from aussie timber framing, to aussie windows, bricks and furnishings.”
“We are all in this together. The sooner our economy gets back on its feet the better off we will all be. And that will happen more quickly if every Australian backs every other Australian to ensure new homes deliver jobs right down the supply chain,” Mr Hampton concluded.
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