❓ A parliamentary question probes the use of high-grade jarrah logs for railway sleepers, questioning if this practice undermines the production of higher-value timber products. The Minister's response defends the industry's practice of maximizing log utilization and economic return.
AnsweredQoN 7985Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Is the Minister aware that, according to the Forest Management Plan, railway sleepers supplied to Westnet rail were to be cut from third grade or lower jarrah saw logs?
(2) Is the Minister aware of any sleepers being cut from logs above third grade jarrah saw logs and, if so, will the Minister explain the circumstances in which this occurs?
(3) Is it the case that, even if mills have an allocation of third grade logs for sleeper production, they may be using higher grade logs for sleepers in order to meet their production targets and so be using high grade logs for a lower grade product?
(4) Will the Minister take measures to ensure that high grade logs are only used for production of high grade saw timber and not for the production of sleepers?
(2) Is the Minister aware of any sleepers being cut from logs above third grade jarrah saw logs and, if so, will the Minister explain the circumstances in which this occurs?
(3) Is it the case that, even if mills have an allocation of third grade logs for sleeper production, they may be using higher grade logs for sleepers in order to meet their production targets and so be using high grade logs for a lower grade product?
(4) Will the Minister take measures to ensure that high grade logs are only used for production of high grade saw timber and not for the production of sleepers?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
19 June 2012
Responded by
Minister for Forestry
Response time
35 days
(1) The Forest Management Plan 2004-2013 (FMP) makes no reference to the production of sleepers.
(2) The production of rail sleepers is an appropriate use of timber contained in any part of a jarrah log that is not suited to a higher value purpose, such as flooring, furniture or joinery. Logs that are better than third grade quality may still have a proportion of lower value wood that is better suited to sleeper production than any other product.
(3) Mill owners aim to maximise profitability by cutting each part of the log into the highest value product. There will be parts of higher grade logs that are best suited to sleeper production, but a rational business operator will logically restrict most of its sleeper production to lower grade logs.
(4) I support the objective of the native forest sawmilling industry to pursue markets that maximise utilisation and economic return to the sector. It is a financial reality that mill owners will pursue the highest value product they can produce from each log they process.
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(2) The production of rail sleepers is an appropriate use of timber contained in any part of a jarrah log that is not suited to a higher value purpose, such as flooring, furniture or joinery. Logs that are better than third grade quality may still have a proportion of lower value wood that is better suited to sleeper production than any other product.
(3) Mill owners aim to maximise profitability by cutting each part of the log into the highest value product. There will be parts of higher grade logs that are best suited to sleeper production, but a rational business operator will logically restrict most of its sleeper production to lower grade logs.
(4) I support the objective of the native forest sawmilling industry to pursue markets that maximise utilisation and economic return to the sector. It is a financial reality that mill owners will pursue the highest value product they can produce from each log they process.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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