❓ Mr. Love questions the Minister for Forestry about land identification and consultation processes for softwood plantations following the native forestry industry shutdown. The Minister responds, highlighting the government's investment and denying compulsory land acquisition.
AnsweredQoN 589Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SOFTWOOD PLANTATIONS
589. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Minister for Forestry:
I refer to the government's
decision to shut down the native forestry industry. In the estimates session
for the Forest Products Commission, the minister suggested that land has been
identified for softwood plantations. Is that the case; and, if so, what consultation
has been done for the purpose of identifying this land and when did this
process begin?
589. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Minister for Forestry:
I refer to the government's
decision to shut down the native forestry industry. In the estimates session
for the Forest Products Commission, the minister suggested that land has been
identified for softwood plantations. Is that the case; and, if so, what consultation
has been done for the purpose of identifying this land and when did this
process begin?
AnswerView source ↗
I
am very pleased to get a question on this issue and I am pleased that the
member has made reference to the estimates committee discussion around
this issue. I was surprised during estimates that the member did not take more
time to ask me some questions about forestry.
Ms A. Sanderson : Three
minutes!
Mr D.J. KELLY : I had a 90-minute
session; I got an intense grilling from members opposite about a $3 million
commitment we have made to build a scout hall in Tapping and I got two
questions —
Ms S. Winton interjected.
Mr D.J. KELLY : It is a very
good scout hall, member for Wanneroo. My recollection is that I got two
questions on forestry; and one of them was
on sandalwood.� During estimates, there was virtually no discussion from the
other side about the announcements we
have made in respect of forestry. I am very proud that the member has asked
about the softwood expansion. The $350 million that we have committed to
expand the softwood estate is the biggest investment in the state's
history. The federal minister from Tasmania, Senator Duniam—he likes to
call himself ''Jonno''—gave
the announcement 10 out of 10, when I spoke to him. ''10 out of 10''
is what he said! In respect of the expansion of the softwood estate, he
gave the announcement 10 out of 10.
The member asked where the land
would be sourced from. Obviously, it needs to be within a reasonable distance
of processing facilities so that transport costs are reasonable. It needs to
have a certain level of rainfall in order for the
plantations to flourish. Beyond that, they will be commercial decisions made by
the Forest Products Commission . We are not going to go out and say that
we have identified these bits of land that we want to buy, because of course
the people who own them would then say, 'That's great. We'll
now talk to you about the price.'' There are a range of opportunities in
the south west to purchase the land that is needed and the Forest Products
Commission will make those commercial decisions.
I got a question today in the other
place that seemed to suggest that opposition members think we are going to
compulsorily acquire land from farmers to do this. I can assure members that we
are not going to be forcing farmers off their land to plant pine trees. That is
an absolutely ludicrous proposition. If people want to sell their land to the government for pine plantations, that will be a commercial
decision that they make. I do not know why the opposition is trying to
say that this proposal is somehow detrimental or trying to scare farmers about
it. No-one will be forced off their land,
despite the scaremongering they are obviously running. People will make
commercial decisions. That softwood will guarantee the jobs of hundreds
of employees who are currently employed in those mills and it will underpin the
jobs of thousands of Western Australians in the building industry. We have a plan
to do it, as opposed to when the Liberal and
National Parties were in government. As the member for North West Central said,
they were going to source pine from New South Wales. That was an
absolutely ridiculous proposal.
am very pleased to get a question on this issue and I am pleased that the
member has made reference to the estimates committee discussion around
this issue. I was surprised during estimates that the member did not take more
time to ask me some questions about forestry.
Ms A. Sanderson : Three
minutes!
Mr D.J. KELLY : I had a 90-minute
session; I got an intense grilling from members opposite about a $3 million
commitment we have made to build a scout hall in Tapping and I got two
questions —
Ms S. Winton interjected.
Mr D.J. KELLY : It is a very
good scout hall, member for Wanneroo. My recollection is that I got two
questions on forestry; and one of them was
on sandalwood.� During estimates, there was virtually no discussion from the
other side about the announcements we
have made in respect of forestry. I am very proud that the member has asked
about the softwood expansion. The $350 million that we have committed to
expand the softwood estate is the biggest investment in the state's
history. The federal minister from Tasmania, Senator Duniam—he likes to
call himself ''Jonno''—gave
the announcement 10 out of 10, when I spoke to him. ''10 out of 10''
is what he said! In respect of the expansion of the softwood estate, he
gave the announcement 10 out of 10.
The member asked where the land
would be sourced from. Obviously, it needs to be within a reasonable distance
of processing facilities so that transport costs are reasonable. It needs to
have a certain level of rainfall in order for the
plantations to flourish. Beyond that, they will be commercial decisions made by
the Forest Products Commission . We are not going to go out and say that
we have identified these bits of land that we want to buy, because of course
the people who own them would then say, 'That's great. We'll
now talk to you about the price.'' There are a range of opportunities in
the south west to purchase the land that is needed and the Forest Products
Commission will make those commercial decisions.
I got a question today in the other
place that seemed to suggest that opposition members think we are going to
compulsorily acquire land from farmers to do this. I can assure members that we
are not going to be forcing farmers off their land to plant pine trees. That is
an absolutely ludicrous proposition. If people want to sell their land to the government for pine plantations, that will be a commercial
decision that they make. I do not know why the opposition is trying to
say that this proposal is somehow detrimental or trying to scare farmers about
it. No-one will be forced off their land,
despite the scaremongering they are obviously running. People will make
commercial decisions. That softwood will guarantee the jobs of hundreds
of employees who are currently employed in those mills and it will underpin the
jobs of thousands of Western Australians in the building industry. We have a plan
to do it, as opposed to when the Liberal and
National Parties were in government. As the member for North West Central said,
they were going to source pine from New South Wales. That was an
absolutely ridiculous proposal.
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