Hon. Louise Kingston questions the Minister for Forestry regarding the review of timber sharefarming agreement stumpage schedules and potential retrospective payments, given the increase in pine sawlog prices since June 2020. The Minister responds that an assessment was conducted, but no changes were made, and retrospective payments are only considered in case of error.

AnsweredQoN 1402Legislative Council
Asked
6 November 2024
Portfolio
Forestry

QuestionView source ↗

FOREST PRODUCTS
COMMISSION — STUMPAGE SCHEDULES
1402. Hon LOUISE KINGSTON to the Minister for Forestry:
I refer to the written answer in
budget estimates relating to the Forest Products Commission and to question
without notice 335 of 28 March 2023.
(1) Given that
log prices to growers were last reviewed in June 2020, has the review of timber
sharefarming agreement stumpage schedules
promised in March 2023 been completed; and, if so, have any retrospective payments as indicated been made?
(2) If not,
why not, as it is known that the price of pine sawlogs has increased very
significantly since June 2020 and it would be bad faith not to pass on such
gains to sharefarmers?
(3) Has the FPC
made any financial provision for retrospective payments in its financial
statements?
(4) Are
retrospective payments permitted under timber sharefarming agreements as stated
in the minister's response to question without notice 335 or are they
not applicable as stated in her response to budget estimates question 1(f), and
will the minister provide a correction to whichever answer is incorrect?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. I note that this question was asked and answered
on 19 September.
(1)–(4) The
Forest Products Commission conducted an initial assessment and no changes were
made to stumpage schedules. The stumpage schedule takes several factors into
consideration, including sawlog prices, other log product prices and harvest
and haulage costs. Retrospective payments would be considered only in the case
of an error.

Explore WA Government Data

Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.

Explore more