❓ Mr. Cowper asks what the government is doing to support jobs in the WA native forest industry. The Minister responds by highlighting the government's support for a sustainable sector, balancing conservation with jobs, and refutes claims of increased logging.
AnsweredQoN 228Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
NATIVE FOREST
INDUSTRY
228. Mr M.J. COWPER to the Minister for Forestry:
Can the minister please advise the house what the government
is doing to support jobs for the thousands of workers employed in Western
Australia in the native forest industry?
INDUSTRY
228. Mr M.J. COWPER to the Minister for Forestry:
Can the minister please advise the house what the government
is doing to support jobs for the thousands of workers employed in Western
Australia in the native forest industry?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Murray–Wellington
very much for the question. He will be all too aware of the importance of jobs
and maintaining a sound economy in a part of the state that is not quite as
close to the mining sector as other parts of the state are. The Liberal–National
government strongly supports a sustainable native forest sector. It also is
very important to find the balance between conservation values and jobs for
people, as well as supporting rural communities in the south west.
Before I get to what this government
is doing, it is important to reflect on exactly what is happening in the native
forest sector. It must not be forgotten that 65 per cent of the 2.5 million
hectares of forest in WA, including old-growth forest, is fully protected. Less
than half of one per cent of the total forest estate is available for
harvesting in any given year. Before any harvesting is done, the Forest
Products Commission goes through an extremely rigorous process with the
Department of Environment and Conservation. Sixty-five steps have to be ticked
off, including flora and fauna surveys, disease risks, Indigenous heritage and
social impacts. That is done to ensure that all those values that the community
holds so dear are ticked off to ensure that what is done is totally
appropriate.
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I
have certainly come to expect outrageous claims about what is happening in
native forests from the green quarter, particularly from the anti-logging
groups. I do not really expect it from the shadow Minister for Forestry, the
member for Collie–Preston. I was certainly surprised to see some of the
statements he has made in the media.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
Some claims have been made by various groups that the government plans to
increase logging by 20 per cent. That is absolutely not true. The scoping
document referred to by those groups does not propose a 20 per cent increase
and the government will certainly not support an increase of that kind. The
press releases that went out —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the third time today.
Member for Collie–Preston, I formally call you to order for the second
time today. Member for Albany, if you want to be called for the third time, I
am happy to do that, but I will not do it at this stage.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : The press releases that have been put out and the claims that
have been made by the anti-logging groups hugely gilded the lily on the scoping
work that has been done on the documents that went out.
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : The member for Collie–Preston needs to do his research
about the point he made a moment ago about karri logging. The alternative
Minister for Forestry does not understand the native forest sector and
certainly does not talk to those people who are close to the sector to fully
appreciate the key issues for the sector in Western Australia.
The
SPEAKER : If you do not expect to get interjected on, Minister for Forestry,
I would ask you to cease making remarks about other members in this place. If
you want a decent chance to put your points, I make my point again: I suggest
you stop referring to other members in this place.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : In
the press release put out by the shadow Minister for Forestry, he said that WA
Labor did not support plans to increase native forest logging by 20 per cent. I
have not seen a statement that says that it supports logging at all. The shadow
Minister for Forestry has not put out a position statement on the stance Labor
has on the native forest sector and jobs in the south west, particularly in the
communities of Manjimup, Nannup and Greenbushes. The end of the press release
states —
Our forests play a vital role in
climate control and the destruction of forests is a major contributory factor
to global warming and the rising levels of carbon dioxide,''
That is from the great environmentalist from Collie. He is
making some hugely profound remarks about his position on the environment. He
does not support jobs.
Dr
K.D. Hames : Pick up a few marron while you're there.
The
SPEAKER : Minister for Health, I formally call you to order for the first
time today.
Mr M.P. Murray :
Sneak them out of town after dark.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Collie–Preston, I formally call you to order for the third
time today. Minister, I will reiterate my comments. If you wish to address this
house and answer this question and you want to make points in this place
without continual interruption, I suggest that you do not mention members
continually in this place. I formally call you to order for the first time.
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
Just to get on to the nub of the question, this government has played a strong
role in facilitating the purchase by Auswest of Gunns' assets in
Manjimup. That has saved 100 jobs in the south west. We have also supported
investment security guarantees beyond the term of the forest management plan to
give the industry some security and some confidence in that investment. Most
importantly, we also support that balance between conservation values and the
sustainable use of our forests to ensure that we get an economic benefit in the
south west while preserving the most important ecological values of our native
forests in Western Australia.
very much for the question. He will be all too aware of the importance of jobs
and maintaining a sound economy in a part of the state that is not quite as
close to the mining sector as other parts of the state are. The Liberal–National
government strongly supports a sustainable native forest sector. It also is
very important to find the balance between conservation values and jobs for
people, as well as supporting rural communities in the south west.
Before I get to what this government
is doing, it is important to reflect on exactly what is happening in the native
forest sector. It must not be forgotten that 65 per cent of the 2.5 million
hectares of forest in WA, including old-growth forest, is fully protected. Less
than half of one per cent of the total forest estate is available for
harvesting in any given year. Before any harvesting is done, the Forest
Products Commission goes through an extremely rigorous process with the
Department of Environment and Conservation. Sixty-five steps have to be ticked
off, including flora and fauna surveys, disease risks, Indigenous heritage and
social impacts. That is done to ensure that all those values that the community
holds so dear are ticked off to ensure that what is done is totally
appropriate.
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I
have certainly come to expect outrageous claims about what is happening in
native forests from the green quarter, particularly from the anti-logging
groups. I do not really expect it from the shadow Minister for Forestry, the
member for Collie–Preston. I was certainly surprised to see some of the
statements he has made in the media.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
Some claims have been made by various groups that the government plans to
increase logging by 20 per cent. That is absolutely not true. The scoping
document referred to by those groups does not propose a 20 per cent increase
and the government will certainly not support an increase of that kind. The
press releases that went out —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the third time today.
Member for Collie–Preston, I formally call you to order for the second
time today. Member for Albany, if you want to be called for the third time, I
am happy to do that, but I will not do it at this stage.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : The press releases that have been put out and the claims that
have been made by the anti-logging groups hugely gilded the lily on the scoping
work that has been done on the documents that went out.
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : The member for Collie–Preston needs to do his research
about the point he made a moment ago about karri logging. The alternative
Minister for Forestry does not understand the native forest sector and
certainly does not talk to those people who are close to the sector to fully
appreciate the key issues for the sector in Western Australia.
The
SPEAKER : If you do not expect to get interjected on, Minister for Forestry,
I would ask you to cease making remarks about other members in this place. If
you want a decent chance to put your points, I make my point again: I suggest
you stop referring to other members in this place.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : In
the press release put out by the shadow Minister for Forestry, he said that WA
Labor did not support plans to increase native forest logging by 20 per cent. I
have not seen a statement that says that it supports logging at all. The shadow
Minister for Forestry has not put out a position statement on the stance Labor
has on the native forest sector and jobs in the south west, particularly in the
communities of Manjimup, Nannup and Greenbushes. The end of the press release
states —
Our forests play a vital role in
climate control and the destruction of forests is a major contributory factor
to global warming and the rising levels of carbon dioxide,''
That is from the great environmentalist from Collie. He is
making some hugely profound remarks about his position on the environment. He
does not support jobs.
Dr
K.D. Hames : Pick up a few marron while you're there.
The
SPEAKER : Minister for Health, I formally call you to order for the first
time today.
Mr M.P. Murray :
Sneak them out of town after dark.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Collie–Preston, I formally call you to order for the third
time today. Minister, I will reiterate my comments. If you wish to address this
house and answer this question and you want to make points in this place
without continual interruption, I suggest that you do not mention members
continually in this place. I formally call you to order for the first time.
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
Just to get on to the nub of the question, this government has played a strong
role in facilitating the purchase by Auswest of Gunns' assets in
Manjimup. That has saved 100 jobs in the south west. We have also supported
investment security guarantees beyond the term of the forest management plan to
give the industry some security and some confidence in that investment. Most
importantly, we also support that balance between conservation values and the
sustainable use of our forests to ensure that we get an economic benefit in the
south west while preserving the most important ecological values of our native
forests in Western Australia.
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