❓ Hon. Louise Kingston questions the Minister for Forestry regarding native forest audits conducted after the announced end of native logging, challenging the sustainability claims. The Minister clarifies the scope of the AS/NZS 4708 certification.
AnsweredQoN 1149Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
FOREST PRODUCTS COMMISSION — NATIVE FOREST
LOGGING — CERTIFICATION
1149. Hon LOUISE KINGSTON to the Minister for Forestry:
I refer the minister to her response to question without
notice 1137 of 18 September 2024, in which she stated that the Forest Products
Commission maintained an AS 4708 certification because it was required for pine
plantations.
(1) If it was
required only for pine plantations, why were three audits of native forest
undertaken in November 2021, November 2022 and August 2023 after the government
announced the end of native logging on 8 September 2021?
(2) How does
the minister account for the fact that, as a result of these audits, the native
forest harvesting continued to be certified under the sustainable forest
management standard when the government said it was not sustainable? Who is
wrong—the auditors or the government?
LOGGING — CERTIFICATION
1149. Hon LOUISE KINGSTON to the Minister for Forestry:
I refer the minister to her response to question without
notice 1137 of 18 September 2024, in which she stated that the Forest Products
Commission maintained an AS 4708 certification because it was required for pine
plantations.
(1) If it was
required only for pine plantations, why were three audits of native forest
undertaken in November 2021, November 2022 and August 2023 after the government
announced the end of native logging on 8 September 2021?
(2) How does
the minister account for the fact that, as a result of these audits, the native
forest harvesting continued to be certified under the sustainable forest
management standard when the government said it was not sustainable? Who is
wrong—the auditors or the government?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
member for some notice of the question.
(1)–(2)
AS/NZS 4708 is one certificate that covers the Forest Products Commission's
operations in all forest types, including pine and native forest, and the
yearly compliance audits undertaken encompass all forest types. I add that I did
not say it was only for pine plantations. In my previous answer I noted it was
used for pine plantations.
member for some notice of the question.
(1)–(2)
AS/NZS 4708 is one certificate that covers the Forest Products Commission's
operations in all forest types, including pine and native forest, and the
yearly compliance audits undertaken encompass all forest types. I add that I did
not say it was only for pine plantations. In my previous answer I noted it was
used for pine plantations.
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