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FICA E-newsletter - March 2025

In our latest FICA update, we're covering:Market Update Fuel Update from Waitomo Upcoming FICA Workshop 'Looking Ahead' - Friday 4 April - register below FICA Membership Renewals - coming April 2025FICA working with Gisborne District Council on a contractor problemContractor Story - A Better Way - Tom Payne, Rakau HarvestingWomen in Forestry Napier Workshop WrapupACoP Review - Technical Workshops in March FICA board member mentors young loggerVocational Training UpdateWorkSaf...

ACOP Review - Technical Workshops in March

FICA, FOA and FISC have been working hard with WorkSafe on progressing the ACOP. There has been much debate around the purpose, intended target, the language and format of the ACOP. The original intent of the review was to bring the ACOP up to speed with the Heath Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA) and to incorporate a number of supplementary documents. It has become apparent that the HSWA does restrict for who and how the ACOP can be written. As a result, the ACOP will specifically b...

Vocational Training Update

FICA recently met with the Minister of Vocational Training Penny Simmonds. The Minister seemed to be very aware of the unique demands required in the forest industry for on-the-job training and the significant contribution contractors make to training and pastoral care of their employers.In collaboration with the Pan Sector Group (NZ Forest and Wood Sector Forum), FICA made a submission to the Ministry of Education on the Options for the future of Work Based Learning. In addition, FICA also made...

A better way - Tom Payne - Rakau Harvesting

Nelson-based FICA member Tom Payne (Rakau Harvesting) can still vividly recall hand falling trees when he started in the industry more than 27 years ago. The boss would literally drop him off in the morning, check-in at smoko and then wouldn't see him again until knock-off.Even back then, Tom realised this was not acceptable and there must be a better way of monitoring fallers that are working alone.Over the years Tom has developed a number of electronic solutions to assist with this p...

Market Update March 2025

We have seen good consistent export pricing over recent months and this has continued in March with A grade prices north of the magical $130/m3 level in the North Island this has seen all crews working at 100%. Considering the uncertainty the globe is facing at present, we’re doing better than was generally expected.The coming months are a little less certain as in the past we have seen reasonably significant falls between April and July. Hopefully this year will defy previous years....

Fuel Outlook with Waitomo - March 2025

uel prices have been fluctuating due to global economic shifts, geopolitical tensions, and seasonal demand changes, but a downward trend is emerging.Key market drivers:Economic shocks and oil volatility: A Chinese AI breakthrough briefly destabilised US markets, affecting oil prices. Meanwhile, Brent crude has dropped from $85 to $72.70 per barrel due to shifting geopolitical conditions.Cold weather and diesel demand: The Northern Hemisphere winter boosted diesel demand, but as tempera...

FICA Member Renewals 2025

Hello FICA whanau, It is that time of the year again when we are asking you to dip into your pockets and pay your annual subscription, invoices will be sent out later this month for April payment. Last year was arguably one of the tougher years we have had on the back of several others. We lost some members last year as a result of this, but we won back as many returning members who believe FICA is making a difference. What have we done in past twelve months?FICA has refocuse...

Pan Pac Opportunity - Expressions of Interest – Ground-based Logging

FICA is sharing this Expression of Interest opportunity on behalf of Pan PacExpressions of Interest – Ground-based LoggingPan Pac Forest Products Limited (Pan Pac) is a fully integrated forest products company based in Whirinaki, Hawkes Bay. Our integrated structure provides resilience and security in a dynamic market. Pan Pac has cutting rights to over 36,000 hectares of plantation forests at five main locations within 85km of Napier. Our annual harvest is just over 1,000,000 tonnes. As the l...

Immigration NZ Webinar - 5 March

Immigration New Zealand have announced some changes to AEWV and Specific Purpose Work Visa (SPWV) on the 10th March. These will affect the primary sector and some changes will have impacts specifically on meat, seafood and agriculture industries.  Read about these changes hereThe Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is holding a webinar to explain more details of these changes. We encourage our members who will be affected to attend the session.  ...

Machine Assist Felling Skills Standards Development Project

There's still time to have your say on draft skill standards for Machine Assist Felling (MAF) and tree-felling. Please review the consultation information below, then complete the survey with your feedback. Please provide your feedback by Tuesday 25 February.Project focusWe have been working with representatives from the industry and vocational education sector on the review and development of the skill standards since November 2024.The MAF project is focused on reviewing Level 4 standards ...

FICA E-newsletter - February 2025

In our first FICA update for 2025, we're covering:Market Update Tairawhiti Contractors Meeting 11 February GDC Councillors Hear Contractor's Voice Immigration NZ Settings FICA Board Meeting Gisborne ACoP Review Hear from our Sponsors TLC Insurance Brandt Waratah...

Insurance designed by FICA contractors, for FICA contractors

Starting out as a family-owned New Zealand business 26 years ago, TLC Insurance has had a strong connection with forestry from the start.Original owner and TLC Insurance founder Keith Penny had played rugby with logging contractor Paul Olsen (Olsen Forest Management / OFM) in their earlier years, and had built a friendship that lasted beyond the rugby field.Wanting to provide the forestry industry with insurance that catered to the needs of contractors throughout New Zealand, Keith engaged Paul ...

GDC Hear Contractors Voice

FICA hosted a number of GDC Councillors at Stirling Logging in forest near Wharerata (located just in the Hawkes Bay) this month. There was good engagement with the Councillors, who seemed sympathetic to forestry.Key messages wereForestry is a significant contributor to the economy in TairawhitiForestry employees are highly skilled people that are well paidUnder the current NES CF rules, contractors are pulling a lot of unmerchantable volume that poses little riskThere is considerable diffe...

ACOP Review Update February 2025

In mid-January WorkSafe released an updated draft of the ACoP with a plan to have the new ACoP rolled out by March 2025. There were several major changes:It was written for PCBUs rather than employers, contractors and workers;There was a big shift away from mandatory instruction to recommendations;There was a significant shift away from the current format and a plan only to have it available electronically and not hard copy. This was at odds with industry’s expectation that the current AC...

Immigration NZ Settings

FICA submitted a joint submission with FOA on 11 October 2024. The Government announced changes 22 December. The changes move the needle in the right direction for a lot of employers, but it won’t go far enough for the forestry sector:Two years of experience will still be problematicThey are not proposing to remove the English language requirementThe home country stand-down (12 months) will still apply The government is not going to change its position on 1 to 3 above. Understandably they donâ...

Tairawhiti Contractors Meeting 11 February

Another meeting was held with Tairawhiti Contractors in Gisborne on 11 February. Unfortunately, the GDC compliance team for good reason were unable to present at the meeting and have taken a rain check until next month.The general mood in the meeting was that while there has been good engagement between contractors, the GDC, the Mayor, Forest Managers and other stakeholders, the changes at the coal face have been glacial with a small tinge of green shoots. Thanks to Waratah for sponsoring t...

Market Update February 2025

In summary the market is still delicately balanced between supply and demand. The Chinese market is starting to get back into gear after Chinese New Year (CNY), inventory has grown from around 3 million mid-January to in excess of 4 million post CNY which may put pressure on CFR prices.Demand in China still remains soft and unlikely to improve and there is still much uncertainty regarding what Trump will do with tariffs. Despite this, one exporter I spoke to believes tariffs will not affect dema...

Immigration NZ Roundup - January 2025

Here is the latest Immigration Roundup from Immigration NZ....

FICA Logger Mag - April 2025 Issue

Want to listen to our FICA Logger Mag updates instead of reading them? Here's how:...

FICA E-newsletter - December 2024

In our last FICA update for 2024, we're covering:Market Update Waitomo Fuel Outlook Tairawhiti Contractors Meeting 27 November Earthwork Qualifications - Unit Standards ACOP Review gets the hurry up FSC Audit Feedback Requests Registration of Interest – Production Thinning Opportunity Northern SouthlandPaySauce payroll update for ContractorsChristmas / New Year PeriodThis will be the final newsletter for the year. With most operations shutting down this week and n...

ACOP Review FICA Only Workshop

As you are aware FISC, FICA and FOA had the opportunity to co-host the Hon Brooke van Velden Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety in Rotorua as part of the recent Health and Safety Reform Roadshow, on behalf of the forestry sector. The industry expressed a desire to see the Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) review completed given it has been progressing slowly for an extended period of time.It looks like the Minister took that feedback on board and has directed WorkSafe to move quickly to c...

FSC Audit Feedback Requests

As you may be aware a significant proportion of the NZ Forest Estate is FSC certified. Of the 1,757,451 net stocked area, 1,186,776 or 67% is certified.The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international, non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC's certification system enables businesses (including investors) and consumers to choose wood, paper and other forest products made with materials that support responsible for...

Earthworks Qualifications Standards

FICA met with the GDC to discuss environmental accreditation of contractors and training of operators potentially using the new earthworks standards currently being developed. The standards are currently being developed by Greg Steele - see links below. ...

Tairawhiti Contractors Meeting 27 November

Tairawhiti Contractors met on 27 November as a follow up to the 5 September meeting. There was a good turn-out and Rowan thought a very productive meeting. FICA outlined the progress since the last meeting 5 September. This included the meeting with EWC and the Mayor to communicate key messages, the Mayor’s visit to the forest to meet with contractors, a number of discussions with MPI regarding the NES CF slash review and the impact on contractors, discussions with FGR/Universit...

ACoP Feedback Events

WorkSafe have been updating the forestry guidance (ACoP Review) and are looking for feedback from industry. Below is an initial draft of sections on:Managing risk, and the contracting chainManaging healthHarvesting (in part)Mechanised harvestingSteep slope harvestingMachine-assisted harvestingManual fellingThe draft includes an introduction that details all the sections in the final guidance, which are still to come and which you will also have the chance to give feedback on....