The timber aisle in your local hardware store may look a little different if the Coalition is successful in next month's election.
As part of its tilt at government the Opposition has promised to introduce country of origin labelling on timber sold by commercial hardware outlets.
In Australia there is no requirement for timber products to be labelled with the country they are from.
Under the proposed change any timber grown and harvested in Australia would be individually marked to show its origin and imported timber would be labelled to show where it was grown.
Opposition forestry spokesperson Jonathon Duniam said the measure would help people make an informed choice.
"We should be making sure it is clear, whether it is a product that you pick up at Bunnings or Mitre 10, you can see that is a product that has come from an Australian forest," he said.
Mr Dunaim said consumers should know if they were purchasing timber that had been "ripped out of the Congo Basin".
"Most Australians would know enough about how good our product is to make the right choice," he said.
The details of the labelling plan are yet to be established but the change is expected to apply to retail and commercial sales.
'No idea' of origins
The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) supports the idea, which chief executive Diana Hallam says would be similar to what is in place for food packaging.
"I've lost count of the number of beautiful hardwood decks I've been shown, beautiful Merbau decks, and I say, 'Do you realise this is from Indonesia or Malaysia?'," Ms Hallam said.
"People have no idea. They've gone to Bunnings, they've bought this Merbau thinking it's Australian and most of the time it's not."
According to its website Bunnings sources Merbau from West Papua, though the timber is also grown in northern Australia.
A recent DNA testing trial of imported wood by the federal Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Department (DAFF) revealed up to a third of all wood traded in the world had been illegally logged.
About 25 per cent of products it tested displayed inconsistencies with either the declared species, origin, or both.
Ms Hallam said the incorrect identification of wood was a potential indicator of illegal activity.
'Record investments'
The Labor government has not released a timber industry policy this election campaign.
When questioned on timber labelling a spokesperson referred to Labor's forestry decisions while in government.
"The Albanese government has made record investments in forestry, that [are] environmentally, socially and commercially sustainable," the spokesperson said.
"We need timber products and we want sustainable forestry jobs.
"That's why we are investing $300 million to grow plantations, modernise our timber manufacturing infrastructure, and build the skills of our forestry workforce."
A label on timber sold at hardware stores may not be the deciding issue at this election, but the AFPA said it was a small change that would make a big difference to Australian forestry workers and the environment.
"We are very conscious there is a cost of living crisis at the moment and a housing crisis and we don't want to exacerbate that," Ms Hallam said.
"I think people are nervous about getting the truth and country of origin labelling will help that."
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