Shane Jones and Brian Stanley

Northland and national forestry leaders have welcomed a government move to make foreign forestry investors commit to processing more wood in New Zealand. Forestry Minister Shane Jones made the announcement at a meeting of forestry industry leaders in Whangarei yesterday. Mr Jones said the move was all about creating more jobs and ensuring there was more value added to the country’s wood-processing sector. It would also go some way to helping the Government’s commitment to plant one billion trees in conjunction with private industry. He said overseas investment in forestry that brings genuine benefits to New Zealand’s economy and its environment will be welcomed. The inclusion of a Forestry Directive in the new Ministerial Directive Letter issued to the Overseas Investment Office (OIO), sets out the Government’s policy approach to overseas investment in sensitive New Zealand assets.