Australia has joined the global struggle against the trade in illegally logged timber.
Australia's Forestry Minister Senator Joe Ludwig says it will be an offence to import illegally logged timber into the Australian market and to process timber illegally harvested in Australia after the passage of a government bill through the Senate on Monday.
"It places requirements on Australian importers and processors - not on our trading partners or exporters," he said in a statement.
Ludwig said the government had consulted with importers, processors, industry, retailers, conservation groups and Australia's trading partners to develop the act.
He said the legislation now brought Australia into line with the European Union and US in taking action to stop the trade of illegally logged timber.
Ludwig said about nine per cent of the timber coming into Australia was illegally logged, costing hundreds of millions.
"The broad assessment would be around A$400 million but again I wouldn't say with any degree of accuracy that is the number," he told the chamber on Monday.
The Australian Associated Press says environmental groups supported the bill's passage.
"This law gives more confidence to Australians buying imported wood products that they won't be inadvertently supporting illegal logging and the destruction of tropical rainforests in the Asia-Pacific region," Australian Conservation Foundation spokesman Josh Meadows said in a statement.
Forests campaigner with Greenpeace Australia Pacific, Reece Turner, said illegal logging often involved land theft and trashing of national parks, while breeding corruption and human rights abuses.
"It's a huge challenge to countries in our region including Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Cambodia," Turner said.
The Illegal Logging Prohibition Bill 2012 now awaits royal assent.
Australia's Forestry Minister Senator Joe Ludwig says it will be an offence to import illegally logged timber into the Australian market and to process timber illegally harvested in Australia after the passage of a government bill through the Senate on Monday.
"It places requirements on Australian importers and processors - not on our trading partners or exporters," he said in a statement.
Ludwig said the government had consulted with importers, processors, industry, retailers, conservation groups and Australia's trading partners to develop the act.
He said the legislation now brought Australia into line with the European Union and US in taking action to stop the trade of illegally logged timber.
Ludwig said about nine per cent of the timber coming into Australia was illegally logged, costing hundreds of millions.
"The broad assessment would be around A$400 million but again I wouldn't say with any degree of accuracy that is the number," he told the chamber on Monday.
The Australian Associated Press says environmental groups supported the bill's passage.
"This law gives more confidence to Australians buying imported wood products that they won't be inadvertently supporting illegal logging and the destruction of tropical rainforests in the Asia-Pacific region," Australian Conservation Foundation spokesman Josh Meadows said in a statement.
Forests campaigner with Greenpeace Australia Pacific, Reece Turner, said illegal logging often involved land theft and trashing of national parks, while breeding corruption and human rights abuses.
"It's a huge challenge to countries in our region including Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Cambodia," Turner said.
The Illegal Logging Prohibition Bill 2012 now awaits royal assent.
