The Hon. Ross Cadell, Nationals Senator for New South Wales, Media Release, 30 June 2026

Labor’s new carbon credit method must face the axe before the Government’s green agenda topples more jobs in regional Australia.

Nationals Senator for New South Wales, Ross Cadell, on Tuesday lodged a disallowance of the controversial Improved Native Forest Management (INFM) method describing the rules as a death knell for the native timber industry.

“Australia’s forestry industries employ tens of thousands of people and sustain regional communities across Australia,” Cadell said.

“Under Labor, transparency has disappeared from the forest floor and instead is now hidden in the halls of bureaucracy.

“My disallowance motion is seeking to reverse the change to the Improved Native Forest Management (INFM) Methodology Determination 2026 that would have otherwise written the final page in our rich timber history.

“This is not about industry versus environment. It is about transparency in policy that affects real people in real communities outside of the Canberra bubble.

“The carbon credit scheme is being used as a political football by Labor and The Greens, proven by the complete lack of consultation or willingness to share crucial documents related to the method.

“If these rules are not overturned, Australia’s native timber industry will be lost forever.

Leader of the Nationals, Senator Matt Canavan, said Labor’s net zero land grab was destroying regional jobs.

“Labor’s new carbon credit approval will cause irreversible damage to Australia’s sustainable native forestry industry, sovereign timber supply capability, agricultural land and regional communities – locking up productive forest land for 100 years,” Senator Canavan said.

“This will mean less timber to build Australian homes, which, in turn, means less Australian jobs. It will shut down another regional industry and end regional forestry jobs, hurting our economy and making our country weaker. The Australian forest industry directly employs about 80,000 people with a further 100,000 indirect jobs, concentrated in regional communities. This is a crucial industry that we must protect.”

The disallowance will be listed for debate on August 18.