❓ A WA parliamentary question on ecological thinning practices, costs, and contracts, with detailed answers provided by the government. The focus is on transparency and accountability in the forestry sector following the end of commercial native forest harvesting.
AnsweredQoN 225Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Has an ecological thinning prescription been finalised: (a) Has it been published; and (b) Who was consulted in its development and in the annual plans? (2) Why have previously thinned karri forests been re-thinned: (a) Do these areas meet the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) published thinning criteria? (3) How much forest product (by grade) has been harvested from ecological thinning in 2023–24 and 2024–25: (a) How much has been sold? (4) What is the average cost per hectare for ecological thinning in jarrah and karri forests: (a) How does this compare to thinning costs under the previous Forest Management Plan? (5) Were ecological thinning contractors selected via public tender: (a) If not, why not; and (b) Are the contractor rates considered value for money? (6) Are contractors paid by hourly rates or piecework: (a) Are idle hours compensated; and (b) Is there a plan to transition to piecework? (7) What is the total cost and volume of logs stockpiled from ecological thinning: (a) Are all stockpiled logs under contract? If not, why not; (b) Why are logs stockpiled if buyers exist; and (c) Are there costs that could be avoided through direct delivery? (8) Does Forest Products Commission (FPC) recover all costs of ecological thinning, stockpiling, and delivery from log sales: (a) Do contract prices meet all requirements under Section 59(1) of the Forest Products Act 2000 ; and (b) What profit does FPC expect to receive? (9) How were contract log prices established: (a) Were any contracts negotiated privately: (i) If so, with which companies; and (b) Do these prices reflect market value? (10) How were stockpile locations selected: (a) Were locations offered via public tender; and (b) Are there formal arrangements between FPC and DBCA for stockpiling on State Forest? (11) Has the need to supply Wesbeam due to the Gnangara reservation influenced the thinning of previously thinned karri forests?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
12 August 2025
Responded by
Minister representing the Minister for Forestry
Response time
6 days
(1) Ecological Thinning prescriptions are a matter for the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
(a) as above; and
(b) as above
(2) For ecological thinning purposes.
(a) Ecological Thinning prescriptions are a matter for the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
(3) & 3(a)
The quantity (tonnes) of forest products harvested and sold from ecological thinning is shown in the following table:
Forest Product
2023-24 (January to June 2024)
2024-25 (to 31 May 2025)
Quantity Harvested
Quantity Sold
Quantity Harvested
Quantity Sold
Recovery Log
17 152
0*
80 541
35 526
LVL log
8 049
8 049
23 104
23 104
Karri High Value Recovery Log
0
0
527
527
*Sales of Recovery Log to June 2024 were from previous forest management plan.
(4) Jarrah ecological thinning – Approximately $10 500 per hectare.
Karri ecological thinning – Approximately $13 500 per hectare.
(a) The thinning prescriptions between the current and the previous Forest Management Plans significantly differ and cannot be compared.
(5) No
(a) Throughout 2023, the FPC sought offers for ecological thinning from all native forest contractors engaged under the previous Forest Management Plan. Offers were based on findings from thinning trials conducted in 2022–23. Additional offers were then sought from contractors not previously associated with native forest harvesting.
(b) Yes
(6) Contractors are paid by applying a retainer for capital and operator cost and hourly for operating costs.
(a) No
(b) Yes
(7) The FPC has established approximately 62 000 tonnes in strategically located Timber Reserves which buffer fluctuations between market demand and timber production, particularly during winter when forest access restrictions may be imposed.
(a) Yes, these reserves are all eligible to be sold under existing contracts.
(b) See (a)
(c) Yes, direct delivery to customers from forest operations is preferred.
(8) & 8 (a) No, as recognised by the Government announcement to end commercial native forest harvesting, the establishment of a Treasurer’s Special Purpose Account to fund ecological thinning with all revenue from the sale of timbers salvaged from ecological thinning returned to Treasury. Services are provided under s 10(1)(l) of the Forest Products Act 2000 which describes one of the functions of the Commission as entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with the (then) Department of Conservation and Land Management setting out the performance of the FPC’s statutory functions and joint obligations. Commercial native forestry ended in December 2023.
(b) Nil, See 8(a)
(9) Firewood pricing was prescribed by the FPC using a base price reflecting harvesting and stumpage costs from the previous Forest Management Plan with haulage charged at cost. Sawlog is a delivered price as tendered by the buyer under tender. All other contracts of sale for timbers salvaged from ecological thinning were negotiated privately.
(a) Yes. All initial 2024 contracts were awarded under private negotiation as an interim measure of continued timber availability until ecological thinning funding and programs were established. Once this occurred, firewood and sawlog sales were later tendered with all other replacement contracts negotiated privately.
(i) Over the course of the current Forest Management Plan, the following businesses received contracts of sale via private negotiation:
· Eclipse Soils Pty Ltd
· Simcoa operations Pty Ltd
· Laminex Pty Ltd
· Wesbeam Pty Ltd
· WA Chip and Pulp Co. Pty Ltd
· Loton Investments
· Forest Floor
· Giovanetti Transport
· Thesaurus Pty Ltd
· Jarrahwood Australia Pty Ltd
· RO & CA Goldsmith
· South West Haulage Pty Ltd
· Southern Forestry Services
· Suncove
· Trevor Augustin
· VW & PA Perejuan
· Waroona Wood Supplies Pty Ltd
· William and Cheryl Guthrie
· Wesbeam
· Dwellingup Sawmills
· Middlesex Mill Pty Ltd
· Yornup Mill Pty Ltd
· Greand Timbers
(b) Yes
(10) The location of timber reserves is based on several factors including:
· Proximity to the operations;
· Availability of land and infrastructure, including loading and unloading equipment;
· Safety management standards; and
· Cost.
(a) No
(b) Salvaged timbers are inherently extracted to a roadside location for loading and delivery to customers and are not Timber Reserves.
(11) No.
(a) as above; and
(b) as above
(2) For ecological thinning purposes.
(a) Ecological Thinning prescriptions are a matter for the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
(3) & 3(a)
The quantity (tonnes) of forest products harvested and sold from ecological thinning is shown in the following table:
Forest Product
2023-24 (January to June 2024)
2024-25 (to 31 May 2025)
Quantity Harvested
Quantity Sold
Quantity Harvested
Quantity Sold
Recovery Log
17 152
0*
80 541
35 526
LVL log
8 049
8 049
23 104
23 104
Karri High Value Recovery Log
0
0
527
527
*Sales of Recovery Log to June 2024 were from previous forest management plan.
(4) Jarrah ecological thinning – Approximately $10 500 per hectare.
Karri ecological thinning – Approximately $13 500 per hectare.
(a) The thinning prescriptions between the current and the previous Forest Management Plans significantly differ and cannot be compared.
(5) No
(a) Throughout 2023, the FPC sought offers for ecological thinning from all native forest contractors engaged under the previous Forest Management Plan. Offers were based on findings from thinning trials conducted in 2022–23. Additional offers were then sought from contractors not previously associated with native forest harvesting.
(b) Yes
(6) Contractors are paid by applying a retainer for capital and operator cost and hourly for operating costs.
(a) No
(b) Yes
(7) The FPC has established approximately 62 000 tonnes in strategically located Timber Reserves which buffer fluctuations between market demand and timber production, particularly during winter when forest access restrictions may be imposed.
(a) Yes, these reserves are all eligible to be sold under existing contracts.
(b) See (a)
(c) Yes, direct delivery to customers from forest operations is preferred.
(8) & 8 (a) No, as recognised by the Government announcement to end commercial native forest harvesting, the establishment of a Treasurer’s Special Purpose Account to fund ecological thinning with all revenue from the sale of timbers salvaged from ecological thinning returned to Treasury. Services are provided under s 10(1)(l) of the Forest Products Act 2000 which describes one of the functions of the Commission as entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with the (then) Department of Conservation and Land Management setting out the performance of the FPC’s statutory functions and joint obligations. Commercial native forestry ended in December 2023.
(b) Nil, See 8(a)
(9) Firewood pricing was prescribed by the FPC using a base price reflecting harvesting and stumpage costs from the previous Forest Management Plan with haulage charged at cost. Sawlog is a delivered price as tendered by the buyer under tender. All other contracts of sale for timbers salvaged from ecological thinning were negotiated privately.
(a) Yes. All initial 2024 contracts were awarded under private negotiation as an interim measure of continued timber availability until ecological thinning funding and programs were established. Once this occurred, firewood and sawlog sales were later tendered with all other replacement contracts negotiated privately.
(i) Over the course of the current Forest Management Plan, the following businesses received contracts of sale via private negotiation:
· Eclipse Soils Pty Ltd
· Simcoa operations Pty Ltd
· Laminex Pty Ltd
· Wesbeam Pty Ltd
· WA Chip and Pulp Co. Pty Ltd
· Loton Investments
· Forest Floor
· Giovanetti Transport
· Thesaurus Pty Ltd
· Jarrahwood Australia Pty Ltd
· RO & CA Goldsmith
· South West Haulage Pty Ltd
· Southern Forestry Services
· Suncove
· Trevor Augustin
· VW & PA Perejuan
· Waroona Wood Supplies Pty Ltd
· William and Cheryl Guthrie
· Wesbeam
· Dwellingup Sawmills
· Middlesex Mill Pty Ltd
· Yornup Mill Pty Ltd
· Greand Timbers
(b) Yes
(10) The location of timber reserves is based on several factors including:
· Proximity to the operations;
· Availability of land and infrastructure, including loading and unloading equipment;
· Safety management standards; and
· Cost.
(a) No
(b) Salvaged timbers are inherently extracted to a roadside location for loading and delivery to customers and are not Timber Reserves.
(11) No.
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