Government recommits to secure future for Australia’s sustainable forest industries

Jun 30, 2009. /Lesprom Network/. The Statement made by the Minister for Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry yesterday recommitted the Government to the sound policy foundations essential for the future development of the forest industries and recognised the key role Australia’s sustainable forest industry plays in the creation of economic prosperity, rural and regional jobs and positive carbon and environmental outcomes, as reported by Australian National Association of Forest Industries (NAFI). Of particular importance to the industry is the Government’s recommitment to the Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs) and the Plantations for Australia: Vision 2020. These policies have been the cornerstone for forest management and plantation development in Australia and the Government’s recommitment to these policies will reinforce the key resource security benefits these policies provide to the forest industry and to rural and regional communities. However, as the RFAs are agreements between the Commonwealth and relevant State Governments, we now seek a similar statement of commitment to the RFAs from the Tasmanian, New South Wales, Victorian and Western Australian Governments. This will further strengthen the resource and investment security provided by these agreements. As Minister Burke points out in his statement, the RFAs have been effective in delivering environmental protection for forests within the RFA regions as well as providing long term certainty for Australia’s sustainable forest industry. They have delivered the right balance between conservation and sustainable production in native forests. This security is as essential now as when the Agreements were reached but the security horizon has been reduced over time and we encourage the RFA parties to take steps to re-establish a twenty year investment horizon in perpetuity to encourage even greater investment. For these achievements to be maintained, the integrity of the regional forest agreements must not be allowed to be jeopardised by any unnecessary and duplicative changes to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. In this regard, we will be reading Allan Hawke’s interim report due next week with interest. Industry confidence will be severely tested if the foundations of the RFA’s as the primary vehicle for conservation outcomes in RFA areas is interfered with. NAFI also welcomes the Government’s strong support for industry value added developments, in particular the Gunns Bell Bay Pulp mill in northern Tasmania. As Minister Burke points out, the mill will not result in any increased harvesting of Tasmania’s forests, which are already subject to stringent conservation management frameworks through the Tasmanian RFA and Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement. NAFI agrees with the Minister – the Pulp Mill will be good for jobs, good for industry and good for Australia without adverse impacts on the environment. On climate change and the carbon pollution reduction scheme (CPRS), NAFI welcomes the Government’s recommitment to a revised treatment of forestry including carbon in harvested wood products as part of the international climate change negotiations. NAFI will be working with Australia’s negotiators to ensure the carbon benefits of forestry are recognised internationally, so that our domestic CPRS can be amended to reflect these benefits. NAFI and its members look forward working with the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in progressing these and other investment and jobs related issues through the Minister’s new Forest Industry Leaders Ministerial Roundtable.