❓ Dr. Woollard questions the Labor Party's commitment to assessing high conservation value areas following their election promise. Dr. Edwards responds, indicating the definition is under review, incorporating both scientific and community input, and linking the assessment to the ongoing forest management plan.
AnsweredQoN 366Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
OLD-GROWTH FORESTS, HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE ASSESSMENT
I refer to the Labor Party’s policy on protecting old-growth forests, which said that to implement this policy, Labor will, “complete a rigorous assessment of other high conservation value areas to be included in the reserve system within one year of election.” (1) When will that assessment commence? (2) Who will undertake the assessment? (3) How are areas of high conservation value defined? (4) Which areas of high conservation value will be included in the assessment? (5) Will the minister please table any further information regarding this process, and if not, why not? Dr EDWARDS
I refer to the Labor Party’s policy on protecting old-growth forests, which said that to implement this policy, Labor will, “complete a rigorous assessment of other high conservation value areas to be included in the reserve system within one year of election.” (1) When will that assessment commence? (2) Who will undertake the assessment? (3) How are areas of high conservation value defined? (4) Which areas of high conservation value will be included in the assessment? (5) Will the minister please table any further information regarding this process, and if not, why not? Dr EDWARDS
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(5) This question follows a question asked two weeks ago. As I said to the member then, a cabinet standing committee was examining the definition of “high conservation value”. Since that meeting, the group is fairly happy with what is now in that definition. Mr Omodei: Shouldn’t it be a scientific definition? Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
(1) When will that assessment commence? (2) Who will undertake the assessment? (3) How are areas of high conservation value defined? (4) Which areas of high conservation value will be included in the assessment? (5) Will the minister please table any further information regarding this process, and if not, why not? Dr EDWARDS replied: (1)-(5) This question follows a question asked two weeks ago. As I said to the member then, a cabinet standing committee was examining the definition of “high conservation value”. Since that meeting, the group is fairly happy with what is now in that definition. Mr Omodei: Shouldn’t it be a scientific definition? Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
(2) Who will undertake the assessment? (3) How are areas of high conservation value defined? (4) Which areas of high conservation value will be included in the assessment? (5) Will the minister please table any further information regarding this process, and if not, why not? Dr EDWARDS replied: (1)-(5) This question follows a question asked two weeks ago. As I said to the member then, a cabinet standing committee was examining the definition of “high conservation value”. Since that meeting, the group is fairly happy with what is now in that definition. Mr Omodei: Shouldn’t it be a scientific definition? Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
(3) How are areas of high conservation value defined? (4) Which areas of high conservation value will be included in the assessment? (5) Will the minister please table any further information regarding this process, and if not, why not? Dr EDWARDS replied: (1)-(5) This question follows a question asked two weeks ago. As I said to the member then, a cabinet standing committee was examining the definition of “high conservation value”. Since that meeting, the group is fairly happy with what is now in that definition. Mr Omodei: Shouldn’t it be a scientific definition? Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
(4) Which areas of high conservation value will be included in the assessment? (5) Will the minister please table any further information regarding this process, and if not, why not? Dr EDWARDS replied: (1)-(5) This question follows a question asked two weeks ago. As I said to the member then, a cabinet standing committee was examining the definition of “high conservation value”. Since that meeting, the group is fairly happy with what is now in that definition. Mr Omodei: Shouldn’t it be a scientific definition? Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
(5) Will the minister please table any further information regarding this process, and if not, why not? Dr EDWARDS replied: (1)-(5) This question follows a question asked two weeks ago. As I said to the member then, a cabinet standing committee was examining the definition of “high conservation value”. Since that meeting, the group is fairly happy with what is now in that definition. Mr Omodei: Shouldn’t it be a scientific definition? Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
Dr EDWARDS replied: (1)-(5) This question follows a question asked two weeks ago. As I said to the member then, a cabinet standing committee was examining the definition of “high conservation value”. Since that meeting, the group is fairly happy with what is now in that definition. Mr Omodei: Shouldn’t it be a scientific definition? Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
(1)-(5) This question follows a question asked two weeks ago. As I said to the member then, a cabinet standing committee was examining the definition of “high conservation value”. Since that meeting, the group is fairly happy with what is now in that definition. Mr Omodei: Shouldn’t it be a scientific definition? Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
Mr Omodei: Shouldn’t it be a scientific definition? Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
(1) When will that assessment commence? (2) Who will undertake the assessment? (3) How are areas of high conservation value defined? (4) Which areas of high conservation value will be included in the assessment? (5) Will the minister please table any further information regarding this process, and if not, why not? Dr EDWARDS replied: (1)-(5) This question follows a question asked two weeks ago. As I said to the member then, a cabinet standing committee was examining the definition of “high conservation value”. Since that meeting, the group is fairly happy with what is now in that definition. Mr Omodei: Shouldn’t it be a scientific definition? Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
(2) Who will undertake the assessment? (3) How are areas of high conservation value defined? (4) Which areas of high conservation value will be included in the assessment? (5) Will the minister please table any further information regarding this process, and if not, why not? Dr EDWARDS replied: (1)-(5) This question follows a question asked two weeks ago. As I said to the member then, a cabinet standing committee was examining the definition of “high conservation value”. Since that meeting, the group is fairly happy with what is now in that definition. Mr Omodei: Shouldn’t it be a scientific definition? Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
(3) How are areas of high conservation value defined? (4) Which areas of high conservation value will be included in the assessment? (5) Will the minister please table any further information regarding this process, and if not, why not? Dr EDWARDS replied: (1)-(5) This question follows a question asked two weeks ago. As I said to the member then, a cabinet standing committee was examining the definition of “high conservation value”. Since that meeting, the group is fairly happy with what is now in that definition. Mr Omodei: Shouldn’t it be a scientific definition? Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
(4) Which areas of high conservation value will be included in the assessment? (5) Will the minister please table any further information regarding this process, and if not, why not? Dr EDWARDS replied: (1)-(5) This question follows a question asked two weeks ago. As I said to the member then, a cabinet standing committee was examining the definition of “high conservation value”. Since that meeting, the group is fairly happy with what is now in that definition. Mr Omodei: Shouldn’t it be a scientific definition? Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
(5) Will the minister please table any further information regarding this process, and if not, why not? Dr EDWARDS replied: (1)-(5) This question follows a question asked two weeks ago. As I said to the member then, a cabinet standing committee was examining the definition of “high conservation value”. Since that meeting, the group is fairly happy with what is now in that definition. Mr Omodei: Shouldn’t it be a scientific definition? Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
Dr EDWARDS replied: (1)-(5) This question follows a question asked two weeks ago. As I said to the member then, a cabinet standing committee was examining the definition of “high conservation value”. Since that meeting, the group is fairly happy with what is now in that definition. Mr Omodei: Shouldn’t it be a scientific definition? Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
(1)-(5) This question follows a question asked two weeks ago. As I said to the member then, a cabinet standing committee was examining the definition of “high conservation value”. Since that meeting, the group is fairly happy with what is now in that definition. Mr Omodei: Shouldn’t it be a scientific definition? Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
Mr Omodei: Shouldn’t it be a scientific definition? Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
Dr EDWARDS: People have raised further points during the forest forums and have asked for certain situations to be taken into consideration in the definition of “high conservation value”. We are considering those concerns before a final decision is made. Areas will be considered as part of the forest management plan process, which is in train at the moment and which is associated with the forums that are being, and will be, held. The definition will be based on some scientific values, but the broader community considers that other aspects also help define areas of high conservation value. Those aspects are already reflected in the policy. The policy currently protects 99 per cent of old-growth forests. One per cent is under moratorium and the Government is not keen to touch that. Other forest areas, which are not old-growth but which have particular high conservation values, are being protected, as outlined in the Government’s policy.
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