The New Zealand Greens say the New Zealand Government has to take action to block the import of outdoor furniture and lumber made from trees illegally harvested from the last of the rainforests of Asia and the Pacific.
A new guide called Forest Friendly Outdoor Furniture Retailers shows some New Zealand businesses are making an effort to ensure their furniture has been legitimately obtained, while others are ignoring the call.
The Greens' co-leader Russell Norman says the government has made a lot of its commitment to sustainability but should level the playing field for all retailers by blocking the import of the illegal wood.
"Currently some retailers are doing the wrong thing and are selling furniture that is derived from the illegal destruction of rainforests in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia and elsewhere and they are undercutting the good retailers who are trying to do the right thing by only selling furniture made from certified timber."
