❓ Hon. Norman Moore questions the Minister for Forestry about potential compulsory powers for the Forest Products Commission (FPC) regarding tree planting on private land. The Minister assures that no compulsion is intended, but amendments to the Forest Products Act are needed to allow the FPC to act as a lead agency for the plantation industry, as requested by the Private Forestry Development Committees.
AnsweredQoN 428Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
FOREST PRODUCTS COMMISSION — POWERS OF COMPULSION
I refer the minister to his press release regarding a new approach to tree farming. (1) Is it the minister’s intent to give the Forest Products Commission powers of compulsion that would interfere with landowners’ basic rights to decide when and where to plant? (2) If there is no intention to undermine the property rights of farmers, why does the minister see a need for the Forest Products Commission to have greater powers over private farmland? Hon KIM CHANCE
I refer the minister to his press release regarding a new approach to tree farming. (1) Is it the minister’s intent to give the Forest Products Commission powers of compulsion that would interfere with landowners’ basic rights to decide when and where to plant? (2) If there is no intention to undermine the property rights of farmers, why does the minister see a need for the Forest Products Commission to have greater powers over private farmland? Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for an interesting question. I will expand a little on the prepared answer that I have. (1)-(2) I assure the Leader of the Opposition that it is not the government’s intention that the Forest Products Commission have powers of compulsion. As the lead agency for the plantations and farm forestry industry, the Forest Products Commission will provide leadership, policy guidance and strategic direction to drive the implementation of the state’s strategy for plantations and farm forestry and to monitor, review and report on its progress. The prepared answer has not explained why we are doing it. I ask the Leader of the Opposition to bear with me. At the moment, plantations and farm forestry on private land is driven by three different agencies—the FPC, the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Department of Agriculture and Food. The private forestry sector, which is represented by the Private Forestry Development Committees, has made clear that the plantation industry needs a lead agency to drive the industry. The Private Forestry Development Committees identified the FPC as the preferred lead agency. The problem with the FPC doing that, although it is very keen to do so, is that the Forest Products Act 2000 has a limitation on the scope of activity that the Forest Products Commission can enter into. That limitation is based around the FPC operating in only those areas in which the FPC itself has a commercial interest. It cannot do the things it needs to do outside the fields in which it has a commercial interest itself. That limitation has been entirely appropriate in the period since the act started in 2000 until quite recently. However, to meet the industry’s ambitions, we need to go that one step further, and an amendment to the Forest Products Act is required. That amendment is currently in the drafting stage. It is my hope that a bill will be introduced in Parliament and enacted by the end of this calendar year. It is at that point that the honourable Leader of the Opposition will be able to see the precise nature of what is involved. I assure him that no compulsion is intended; rather, it is what the industry has sought.
(1) Is it the minister’s intent to give the Forest Products Commission powers of compulsion that would interfere with landowners’ basic rights to decide when and where to plant? (2) If there is no intention to undermine the property rights of farmers, why does the minister see a need for the Forest Products Commission to have greater powers over private farmland? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for an interesting question. I will expand a little on the prepared answer that I have. (1)-(2) I assure the Leader of the Opposition that it is not the government’s intention that the Forest Products Commission have powers of compulsion. As the lead agency for the plantations and farm forestry industry, the Forest Products Commission will provide leadership, policy guidance and strategic direction to drive the implementation of the state’s strategy for plantations and farm forestry and to monitor, review and report on its progress. The prepared answer has not explained why we are doing it. I ask the Leader of the Opposition to bear with me. At the moment, plantations and farm forestry on private land is driven by three different agencies—the FPC, the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Department of Agriculture and Food. The private forestry sector, which is represented by the Private Forestry Development Committees, has made clear that the plantation industry needs a lead agency to drive the industry. The Private Forestry Development Committees identified the FPC as the preferred lead agency. The problem with the FPC doing that, although it is very keen to do so, is that the Forest Products Act 2000 has a limitation on the scope of activity that the Forest Products Commission can enter into. That limitation is based around the FPC operating in only those areas in which the FPC itself has a commercial interest. It cannot do the things it needs to do outside the fields in which it has a commercial interest itself. That limitation has been entirely appropriate in the period since the act started in 2000 until quite recently. However, to meet the industry’s ambitions, we need to go that one step further, and an amendment to the Forest Products Act is required. That amendment is currently in the drafting stage. It is my hope that a bill will be introduced in Parliament and enacted by the end of this calendar year. It is at that point that the honourable Leader of the Opposition will be able to see the precise nature of what is involved. I assure him that no compulsion is intended; rather, it is what the industry has sought.
(2) If there is no intention to undermine the property rights of farmers, why does the minister see a need for the Forest Products Commission to have greater powers over private farmland? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for an interesting question. I will expand a little on the prepared answer that I have. (1)-(2) I assure the Leader of the Opposition that it is not the government’s intention that the Forest Products Commission have powers of compulsion. As the lead agency for the plantations and farm forestry industry, the Forest Products Commission will provide leadership, policy guidance and strategic direction to drive the implementation of the state’s strategy for plantations and farm forestry and to monitor, review and report on its progress. The prepared answer has not explained why we are doing it. I ask the Leader of the Opposition to bear with me. At the moment, plantations and farm forestry on private land is driven by three different agencies—the FPC, the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Department of Agriculture and Food. The private forestry sector, which is represented by the Private Forestry Development Committees, has made clear that the plantation industry needs a lead agency to drive the industry. The Private Forestry Development Committees identified the FPC as the preferred lead agency. The problem with the FPC doing that, although it is very keen to do so, is that the Forest Products Act 2000 has a limitation on the scope of activity that the Forest Products Commission can enter into. That limitation is based around the FPC operating in only those areas in which the FPC itself has a commercial interest. It cannot do the things it needs to do outside the fields in which it has a commercial interest itself. That limitation has been entirely appropriate in the period since the act started in 2000 until quite recently. However, to meet the industry’s ambitions, we need to go that one step further, and an amendment to the Forest Products Act is required. That amendment is currently in the drafting stage. It is my hope that a bill will be introduced in Parliament and enacted by the end of this calendar year. It is at that point that the honourable Leader of the Opposition will be able to see the precise nature of what is involved. I assure him that no compulsion is intended; rather, it is what the industry has sought.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for an interesting question. I will expand a little on the prepared answer that I have. (1)-(2) I assure the Leader of the Opposition that it is not the government’s intention that the Forest Products Commission have powers of compulsion. As the lead agency for the plantations and farm forestry industry, the Forest Products Commission will provide leadership, policy guidance and strategic direction to drive the implementation of the state’s strategy for plantations and farm forestry and to monitor, review and report on its progress. The prepared answer has not explained why we are doing it. I ask the Leader of the Opposition to bear with me. At the moment, plantations and farm forestry on private land is driven by three different agencies—the FPC, the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Department of Agriculture and Food. The private forestry sector, which is represented by the Private Forestry Development Committees, has made clear that the plantation industry needs a lead agency to drive the industry. The Private Forestry Development Committees identified the FPC as the preferred lead agency. The problem with the FPC doing that, although it is very keen to do so, is that the Forest Products Act 2000 has a limitation on the scope of activity that the Forest Products Commission can enter into. That limitation is based around the FPC operating in only those areas in which the FPC itself has a commercial interest. It cannot do the things it needs to do outside the fields in which it has a commercial interest itself. That limitation has been entirely appropriate in the period since the act started in 2000 until quite recently. However, to meet the industry’s ambitions, we need to go that one step further, and an amendment to the Forest Products Act is required. That amendment is currently in the drafting stage. It is my hope that a bill will be introduced in Parliament and enacted by the end of this calendar year. It is at that point that the honourable Leader of the Opposition will be able to see the precise nature of what is involved. I assure him that no compulsion is intended; rather, it is what the industry has sought.
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for an interesting question. I will expand a little on the prepared answer that I have. (1)-(2) I assure the Leader of the Opposition that it is not the government’s intention that the Forest Products Commission have powers of compulsion. As the lead agency for the plantations and farm forestry industry, the Forest Products Commission will provide leadership, policy guidance and strategic direction to drive the implementation of the state’s strategy for plantations and farm forestry and to monitor, review and report on its progress. The prepared answer has not explained why we are doing it. I ask the Leader of the Opposition to bear with me. At the moment, plantations and farm forestry on private land is driven by three different agencies—the FPC, the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Department of Agriculture and Food. The private forestry sector, which is represented by the Private Forestry Development Committees, has made clear that the plantation industry needs a lead agency to drive the industry. The Private Forestry Development Committees identified the FPC as the preferred lead agency. The problem with the FPC doing that, although it is very keen to do so, is that the Forest Products Act 2000 has a limitation on the scope of activity that the Forest Products Commission can enter into. That limitation is based around the FPC operating in only those areas in which the FPC itself has a commercial interest. It cannot do the things it needs to do outside the fields in which it has a commercial interest itself. That limitation has been entirely appropriate in the period since the act started in 2000 until quite recently. However, to meet the industry’s ambitions, we need to go that one step further, and an amendment to the Forest Products Act is required. That amendment is currently in the drafting stage. It is my hope that a bill will be introduced in Parliament and enacted by the end of this calendar year. It is at that point that the honourable Leader of the Opposition will be able to see the precise nature of what is involved. I assure him that no compulsion is intended; rather, it is what the industry has sought.
(1)-(2) I assure the Leader of the Opposition that it is not the government’s intention that the Forest Products Commission have powers of compulsion. As the lead agency for the plantations and farm forestry industry, the Forest Products Commission will provide leadership, policy guidance and strategic direction to drive the implementation of the state’s strategy for plantations and farm forestry and to monitor, review and report on its progress. The prepared answer has not explained why we are doing it. I ask the Leader of the Opposition to bear with me. At the moment, plantations and farm forestry on private land is driven by three different agencies—the FPC, the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Department of Agriculture and Food. The private forestry sector, which is represented by the Private Forestry Development Committees, has made clear that the plantation industry needs a lead agency to drive the industry. The Private Forestry Development Committees identified the FPC as the preferred lead agency. The problem with the FPC doing that, although it is very keen to do so, is that the Forest Products Act 2000 has a limitation on the scope of activity that the Forest Products Commission can enter into. That limitation is based around the FPC operating in only those areas in which the FPC itself has a commercial interest. It cannot do the things it needs to do outside the fields in which it has a commercial interest itself. That limitation has been entirely appropriate in the period since the act started in 2000 until quite recently. However, to meet the industry’s ambitions, we need to go that one step further, and an amendment to the Forest Products Act is required. That amendment is currently in the drafting stage. It is my hope that a bill will be introduced in Parliament and enacted by the end of this calendar year. It is at that point that the honourable Leader of the Opposition will be able to see the precise nature of what is involved. I assure him that no compulsion is intended; rather, it is what the industry has sought.
(1) Is it the minister’s intent to give the Forest Products Commission powers of compulsion that would interfere with landowners’ basic rights to decide when and where to plant? (2) If there is no intention to undermine the property rights of farmers, why does the minister see a need for the Forest Products Commission to have greater powers over private farmland? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for an interesting question. I will expand a little on the prepared answer that I have. (1)-(2) I assure the Leader of the Opposition that it is not the government’s intention that the Forest Products Commission have powers of compulsion. As the lead agency for the plantations and farm forestry industry, the Forest Products Commission will provide leadership, policy guidance and strategic direction to drive the implementation of the state’s strategy for plantations and farm forestry and to monitor, review and report on its progress. The prepared answer has not explained why we are doing it. I ask the Leader of the Opposition to bear with me. At the moment, plantations and farm forestry on private land is driven by three different agencies—the FPC, the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Department of Agriculture and Food. The private forestry sector, which is represented by the Private Forestry Development Committees, has made clear that the plantation industry needs a lead agency to drive the industry. The Private Forestry Development Committees identified the FPC as the preferred lead agency. The problem with the FPC doing that, although it is very keen to do so, is that the Forest Products Act 2000 has a limitation on the scope of activity that the Forest Products Commission can enter into. That limitation is based around the FPC operating in only those areas in which the FPC itself has a commercial interest. It cannot do the things it needs to do outside the fields in which it has a commercial interest itself. That limitation has been entirely appropriate in the period since the act started in 2000 until quite recently. However, to meet the industry’s ambitions, we need to go that one step further, and an amendment to the Forest Products Act is required. That amendment is currently in the drafting stage. It is my hope that a bill will be introduced in Parliament and enacted by the end of this calendar year. It is at that point that the honourable Leader of the Opposition will be able to see the precise nature of what is involved. I assure him that no compulsion is intended; rather, it is what the industry has sought.
(2) If there is no intention to undermine the property rights of farmers, why does the minister see a need for the Forest Products Commission to have greater powers over private farmland? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for an interesting question. I will expand a little on the prepared answer that I have. (1)-(2) I assure the Leader of the Opposition that it is not the government’s intention that the Forest Products Commission have powers of compulsion. As the lead agency for the plantations and farm forestry industry, the Forest Products Commission will provide leadership, policy guidance and strategic direction to drive the implementation of the state’s strategy for plantations and farm forestry and to monitor, review and report on its progress. The prepared answer has not explained why we are doing it. I ask the Leader of the Opposition to bear with me. At the moment, plantations and farm forestry on private land is driven by three different agencies—the FPC, the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Department of Agriculture and Food. The private forestry sector, which is represented by the Private Forestry Development Committees, has made clear that the plantation industry needs a lead agency to drive the industry. The Private Forestry Development Committees identified the FPC as the preferred lead agency. The problem with the FPC doing that, although it is very keen to do so, is that the Forest Products Act 2000 has a limitation on the scope of activity that the Forest Products Commission can enter into. That limitation is based around the FPC operating in only those areas in which the FPC itself has a commercial interest. It cannot do the things it needs to do outside the fields in which it has a commercial interest itself. That limitation has been entirely appropriate in the period since the act started in 2000 until quite recently. However, to meet the industry’s ambitions, we need to go that one step further, and an amendment to the Forest Products Act is required. That amendment is currently in the drafting stage. It is my hope that a bill will be introduced in Parliament and enacted by the end of this calendar year. It is at that point that the honourable Leader of the Opposition will be able to see the precise nature of what is involved. I assure him that no compulsion is intended; rather, it is what the industry has sought.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for an interesting question. I will expand a little on the prepared answer that I have. (1)-(2) I assure the Leader of the Opposition that it is not the government’s intention that the Forest Products Commission have powers of compulsion. As the lead agency for the plantations and farm forestry industry, the Forest Products Commission will provide leadership, policy guidance and strategic direction to drive the implementation of the state’s strategy for plantations and farm forestry and to monitor, review and report on its progress. The prepared answer has not explained why we are doing it. I ask the Leader of the Opposition to bear with me. At the moment, plantations and farm forestry on private land is driven by three different agencies—the FPC, the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Department of Agriculture and Food. The private forestry sector, which is represented by the Private Forestry Development Committees, has made clear that the plantation industry needs a lead agency to drive the industry. The Private Forestry Development Committees identified the FPC as the preferred lead agency. The problem with the FPC doing that, although it is very keen to do so, is that the Forest Products Act 2000 has a limitation on the scope of activity that the Forest Products Commission can enter into. That limitation is based around the FPC operating in only those areas in which the FPC itself has a commercial interest. It cannot do the things it needs to do outside the fields in which it has a commercial interest itself. That limitation has been entirely appropriate in the period since the act started in 2000 until quite recently. However, to meet the industry’s ambitions, we need to go that one step further, and an amendment to the Forest Products Act is required. That amendment is currently in the drafting stage. It is my hope that a bill will be introduced in Parliament and enacted by the end of this calendar year. It is at that point that the honourable Leader of the Opposition will be able to see the precise nature of what is involved. I assure him that no compulsion is intended; rather, it is what the industry has sought.
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for an interesting question. I will expand a little on the prepared answer that I have. (1)-(2) I assure the Leader of the Opposition that it is not the government’s intention that the Forest Products Commission have powers of compulsion. As the lead agency for the plantations and farm forestry industry, the Forest Products Commission will provide leadership, policy guidance and strategic direction to drive the implementation of the state’s strategy for plantations and farm forestry and to monitor, review and report on its progress. The prepared answer has not explained why we are doing it. I ask the Leader of the Opposition to bear with me. At the moment, plantations and farm forestry on private land is driven by three different agencies—the FPC, the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Department of Agriculture and Food. The private forestry sector, which is represented by the Private Forestry Development Committees, has made clear that the plantation industry needs a lead agency to drive the industry. The Private Forestry Development Committees identified the FPC as the preferred lead agency. The problem with the FPC doing that, although it is very keen to do so, is that the Forest Products Act 2000 has a limitation on the scope of activity that the Forest Products Commission can enter into. That limitation is based around the FPC operating in only those areas in which the FPC itself has a commercial interest. It cannot do the things it needs to do outside the fields in which it has a commercial interest itself. That limitation has been entirely appropriate in the period since the act started in 2000 until quite recently. However, to meet the industry’s ambitions, we need to go that one step further, and an amendment to the Forest Products Act is required. That amendment is currently in the drafting stage. It is my hope that a bill will be introduced in Parliament and enacted by the end of this calendar year. It is at that point that the honourable Leader of the Opposition will be able to see the precise nature of what is involved. I assure him that no compulsion is intended; rather, it is what the industry has sought.
(1)-(2) I assure the Leader of the Opposition that it is not the government’s intention that the Forest Products Commission have powers of compulsion. As the lead agency for the plantations and farm forestry industry, the Forest Products Commission will provide leadership, policy guidance and strategic direction to drive the implementation of the state’s strategy for plantations and farm forestry and to monitor, review and report on its progress. The prepared answer has not explained why we are doing it. I ask the Leader of the Opposition to bear with me. At the moment, plantations and farm forestry on private land is driven by three different agencies—the FPC, the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Department of Agriculture and Food. The private forestry sector, which is represented by the Private Forestry Development Committees, has made clear that the plantation industry needs a lead agency to drive the industry. The Private Forestry Development Committees identified the FPC as the preferred lead agency. The problem with the FPC doing that, although it is very keen to do so, is that the Forest Products Act 2000 has a limitation on the scope of activity that the Forest Products Commission can enter into. That limitation is based around the FPC operating in only those areas in which the FPC itself has a commercial interest. It cannot do the things it needs to do outside the fields in which it has a commercial interest itself. That limitation has been entirely appropriate in the period since the act started in 2000 until quite recently. However, to meet the industry’s ambitions, we need to go that one step further, and an amendment to the Forest Products Act is required. That amendment is currently in the drafting stage. It is my hope that a bill will be introduced in Parliament and enacted by the end of this calendar year. It is at that point that the honourable Leader of the Opposition will be able to see the precise nature of what is involved. I assure him that no compulsion is intended; rather, it is what the industry has sought.
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