❓ Hon Giz Watson questions the Minister for Environment regarding compliance with the Regional Forest Agreement (RFA), specifically concerning the development and implementation of an environmental management system and associated audits. The Minister acknowledges progress but highlights the Forest Products Commission's ISO14001 accreditation.
AnsweredQoN 6224Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to —
(a) Clause 95(b) of the Regional Forest Agreement for the South-West Forest Region of Western Australia (RFA) (which states that Western Australia will 'make improvements to its Forest Management System including audits as outlined in Clause 42');
(b) Clause 42 of the RFA (which states 'Within 5 years of the date of this Agreement, Western Australia will further improve its Forest Management System and processes through the development and implementation of environmental management systems in accordance with the principles specified in Attachment 13 and the actions identified in Attachment 5 and acknowledges that its objective for native forest management under the CALM Act is system certification comparable with ISO 14000 series. The Parties note that such a system would include independent auditing of compliance with Codes of Practice and the Forest Management Plan.');
(c) the Minister's answer to my Question on Notice No. 5348 on 20 March 2012 about whether improvements had been made to Western Australia's Forest Management System including audits as outlined in Clause 42 (which answer related to the Forest Products Commission but not to other aspects of the Forest Management System); and
(d) the Conservation Commission's statement at page 55 of its end-of-term audit into the current Forest Management Plan that 'The Department (of Environment and Conservation) has not developed an environmental management system to a standard suitable for certification. However, work progressed on incorporating these principles into aspects of the Department's management system',
and I ask —
(1) Has your department made improvements to its Forest Management system as outlined in Clause 42 of the RFA?
(2) Have you/your department obtained legal advice as to whether the failure to develop an environmental management system suitable for certification breaches legally binding obligations under the RFA?
(3) If no to (2), why not?
(4) If yes to (2), what steps have you/your department taken subsequently?
(5) Have the actions outlined in Attachment 5 to the RFA been taken (please provide full details)?
(a) Clause 95(b) of the Regional Forest Agreement for the South-West Forest Region of Western Australia (RFA) (which states that Western Australia will 'make improvements to its Forest Management System including audits as outlined in Clause 42');
(b) Clause 42 of the RFA (which states 'Within 5 years of the date of this Agreement, Western Australia will further improve its Forest Management System and processes through the development and implementation of environmental management systems in accordance with the principles specified in Attachment 13 and the actions identified in Attachment 5 and acknowledges that its objective for native forest management under the CALM Act is system certification comparable with ISO 14000 series. The Parties note that such a system would include independent auditing of compliance with Codes of Practice and the Forest Management Plan.');
(c) the Minister's answer to my Question on Notice No. 5348 on 20 March 2012 about whether improvements had been made to Western Australia's Forest Management System including audits as outlined in Clause 42 (which answer related to the Forest Products Commission but not to other aspects of the Forest Management System); and
(d) the Conservation Commission's statement at page 55 of its end-of-term audit into the current Forest Management Plan that 'The Department (of Environment and Conservation) has not developed an environmental management system to a standard suitable for certification. However, work progressed on incorporating these principles into aspects of the Department's management system',
and I ask —
(1) Has your department made improvements to its Forest Management system as outlined in Clause 42 of the RFA?
(2) Have you/your department obtained legal advice as to whether the failure to develop an environmental management system suitable for certification breaches legally binding obligations under the RFA?
(3) If no to (2), why not?
(4) If yes to (2), what steps have you/your department taken subsequently?
(5) Have the actions outlined in Attachment 5 to the RFA been taken (please provide full details)?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
13 November 2012
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Environment
Response time
28 days
(1) Yes
(2) No
(3) The Forest Products Commission has in place an environmental management system internationally accredited to ISO14001.
(4) Not applicable
(5) Significant progress has been made in implementing the improvements to forest management on public land outlined in Attachment 5 to the
Regional Forest Agreement for the South-West Forest Region of Western Australia
(RFA). I table the attached information and seek leave to have it incorporated in Hansard.
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
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(2) No
(3) The Forest Products Commission has in place an environmental management system internationally accredited to ISO14001.
(4) Not applicable
(5) Significant progress has been made in implementing the improvements to forest management on public land outlined in Attachment 5 to the
Regional Forest Agreement for the South-West Forest Region of Western Australia
(RFA). I table the attached information and seek leave to have it incorporated in Hansard.
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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