PRESS RELEASE: Koala Park Could Kill Off the Aussie Dream
Sydney, [15/9/25] — The NSW Minns Labor Government’s announcement of the Great Koala National Park has sent shockwaves through Australia’s housing and timber industries, with timber prices already spiking 50% in the last week.
The move, while celebrated by conservation groups, comes at a time when Australia is grappling with a housing affordability crisis and growing reliance on imported timber. In 2024, Australia imported 46% of its solid timber needs, despite being the 7th most forested country in the world.
Industry experts warn the government’s decision to further restrict access to native forests could “kill off the Aussie dream” of home ownership, as builders, families, and first-home buyers bear the brunt of soaring construction costs. Hardwood timber – which makes up one-third of the timber used in the average single or double-storey detached home – will be hardest hit by the new restrictions.
“This announcement pushes Australia deeper into dependence on imports at the very time we should be backing local, sustainable supply. Every new house just became tens of thousands of dollars more expensive,” said Mr Steve Dobbyns, Chair of Forest & Wood Communities Australia (FWCA).
With local production squeezed, the shortfall will increasingly be filled by imports from countries that operate under lower environmental and sustainability standards than Australia’s world-class forestry industry. Experts warn this shift not only undermines Australian jobs but also drives up the nation’s carbon footprint, as imported timber is shipped thousands of kilometres to reach local builders and builders turn to more carbon intensive alternative materials.
“It’s a bitter irony,” said Mr Dobbyns, “Australia is one of the most forested nations on earth, with some of the strongest environmental protections anywhere. Instead of using our resources responsibly, we’re now outsourcing supply to countries with weaker standards and higher emissions.”
With the housing crisis already biting, critics say this latest policy could mark the end of the great Australian dream of owning a home for many Aussies.
