❓ A parliamentary question regarding the WA government's decision to end native forest logging, focusing on the perceived lack of consultation with the timber industry despite conducting public surveys. The Minister defends the decision citing climate change, scientific data, and broader community benefit.
AnsweredQoN 495Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
NATIVE FOREST — LOGGING
495. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Minister for Environment:
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I refer to
today's announcement to end the logging of native forest. Can the
minister explain why her office saw fit to spend $56 500 on surveying the
public about its views on forestry, but failed to engage with the Forest Industries Federation of Western Australia, the
body that represents the businesses and people who will lose their
livelihood because of the minister's decision?
495. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Minister for Environment:
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I refer to
today's announcement to end the logging of native forest. Can the
minister explain why her office saw fit to spend $56 500 on surveying the
public about its views on forestry, but failed to engage with the Forest Industries Federation of Western Australia, the
body that represents the businesses and people who will lose their
livelihood because of the minister's decision?
AnswerView source ↗
The
public consultation that occurred was an important mechanism to understand the
community's priorities and the way it views our forests, because they
are a statewide asset and they are an important carbon store in our battle with climate change. We had an
overwhelming response to that survey, and the regional areas were significantly
represented . The areas that we are
protecting now from logging were significantly represented. We had over 17 000
respondents , including people who
work in the current timber industry. I met with industry representatives.
Industry representatives meet
regularly with the Minister for Forestry. It is absolutely not the case that
no-one is talking to them. I have met with them and I heard their
concerns around the survey. I am not afraid to meet with anyone at all.
Mr R.S. Love : Then why were
they blindsided by your announcement?
Ms A. SANDERSON : They were
given the same notice as everyone else with the announcement. There was no blindsiding at all. This is a carefully considered
policy announcement about the future of our forest. This is the reality .
The member can bury his head in the sand about climate change; that is a hallmark
of the previous government. Ignore the science! We see that at the Nationals
level in the federal government, who are taking us backwards. Our children are
saying to us, ''Do something. Do something with the planet that we have.
Do something with what we inherit.'' The reality is that there was a 20
per cent reduction in rainfall over the last 20 to 30 years in those forests. A
20 per cent reduction—they are not growing back at the rate that they
need to to sustain a yield. That is a fact. That survey was conducted by —
Ms M.J. Davies : It was
polling out of your office!
Ms A. SANDERSON : No, it was a
survey, conducted by the Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute.
Those are independent scientists, member. I have every faith in that survey,
and it was well designed. There were no pro formas.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Ms A. SANDERSON : Where is
your leadership over the last few weeks?
Ms M.J. Davies : Did you have
a conversation with the community of the south west before the election? No,
you did not.
Ms A. SANDERSON : That is not
true! The member for Warren–Blackwood —
Several members interjected.
Ms A. SANDERSON : Madam
Speaker.
The
SPEAKER : To the members interjecting,
the minister is answering the question. She does not require your help.
Ms A. SANDERSON : Thank you, Madam Speaker. I know that
the member for Warren–Blackwood has been visiting those communities in
her electorate; I know that the Minister for Forestry is in constant
conversation with those communities. This is
about protecting an important asset for our entire state. That is what this is.
The reality is we are actually protecting jobs in the timber industry
and creating more. We are actually protecting the 2 000 jobs in the softwood estate and ensuring that they have
work into the future, which members opposite failed to do. Where is your
leadership, Leader of the Opposition? Where is your leadership when it comes to
your own party? You have not called it out. You have not called out the
disgusting behaviour of those members. The only other Liberal woman in this
place took five days to call it out. Five days! I will not be lectured by the
Leader of the Opposition about how we move into the future. This is about
sustainable jobs in the future. It is about climate resilience. It is about
protecting the biodiversity that is under threat from climate change.
public consultation that occurred was an important mechanism to understand the
community's priorities and the way it views our forests, because they
are a statewide asset and they are an important carbon store in our battle with climate change. We had an
overwhelming response to that survey, and the regional areas were significantly
represented . The areas that we are
protecting now from logging were significantly represented. We had over 17 000
respondents , including people who
work in the current timber industry. I met with industry representatives.
Industry representatives meet
regularly with the Minister for Forestry. It is absolutely not the case that
no-one is talking to them. I have met with them and I heard their
concerns around the survey. I am not afraid to meet with anyone at all.
Mr R.S. Love : Then why were
they blindsided by your announcement?
Ms A. SANDERSON : They were
given the same notice as everyone else with the announcement. There was no blindsiding at all. This is a carefully considered
policy announcement about the future of our forest. This is the reality .
The member can bury his head in the sand about climate change; that is a hallmark
of the previous government. Ignore the science! We see that at the Nationals
level in the federal government, who are taking us backwards. Our children are
saying to us, ''Do something. Do something with the planet that we have.
Do something with what we inherit.'' The reality is that there was a 20
per cent reduction in rainfall over the last 20 to 30 years in those forests. A
20 per cent reduction—they are not growing back at the rate that they
need to to sustain a yield. That is a fact. That survey was conducted by —
Ms M.J. Davies : It was
polling out of your office!
Ms A. SANDERSON : No, it was a
survey, conducted by the Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute.
Those are independent scientists, member. I have every faith in that survey,
and it was well designed. There were no pro formas.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Ms A. SANDERSON : Where is
your leadership over the last few weeks?
Ms M.J. Davies : Did you have
a conversation with the community of the south west before the election? No,
you did not.
Ms A. SANDERSON : That is not
true! The member for Warren–Blackwood —
Several members interjected.
Ms A. SANDERSON : Madam
Speaker.
The
SPEAKER : To the members interjecting,
the minister is answering the question. She does not require your help.
Ms A. SANDERSON : Thank you, Madam Speaker. I know that
the member for Warren–Blackwood has been visiting those communities in
her electorate; I know that the Minister for Forestry is in constant
conversation with those communities. This is
about protecting an important asset for our entire state. That is what this is.
The reality is we are actually protecting jobs in the timber industry
and creating more. We are actually protecting the 2 000 jobs in the softwood estate and ensuring that they have
work into the future, which members opposite failed to do. Where is your
leadership, Leader of the Opposition? Where is your leadership when it comes to
your own party? You have not called it out. You have not called out the
disgusting behaviour of those members. The only other Liberal woman in this
place took five days to call it out. Five days! I will not be lectured by the
Leader of the Opposition about how we move into the future. This is about
sustainable jobs in the future. It is about climate resilience. It is about
protecting the biodiversity that is under threat from climate change.
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