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Bill Pushes Timber Industry Closer To Collapse

Victoria's timber industry is perilously close to collapsing and the new Sustainable Forests (Timber) (Amendment) Bill will bring that collapse one step closer, according to Gippsland MP Peter Hall.

By Peter Hall - 16th May 2006 - Back to News

Mr Hall told Parliament when speaking against the amendment, said that the new Bill would only add to the "terrible uncertainty" within the timber industry.

The new Bill deals with 11 sawlog licences west of the Hume Highway, five of which are in the Otways.

"It is important to note that they are the only sawlog licences now left in Victoria because the government has abolished the licensing system in all other parts of the state," Mr Hall said. "The current arrangement is that VicForests enters into contractual arrangements with companies to supply sawlogs. Some of this is now done by auction; in time most of it will be done by auction.

"As predicted by The Nationals when we spoke on the particular pieces of legislation dealing with the creation of VicForests, the auction system is creating terrible uncertainty within the timber industry -- or I should say what is left of it -- and under this government Victoria's timber industry is perilously close to collapsing. Certainly the end is nigh for the timber industry in the state's west and north."

Mr Hall added that the new Bill would only make it easier for the government to get rid of the few remaining sawlog licences still in the state.

"Instead of VicForests taking control of those licences, as was proposed under the sustainable forests legislation, the 11 licences will now remain under the control of the Department of Sustainability and Environment," he said.

"The Nationals see this as the end of timber harvesting within public forest in the state's west and north. As further pressure is transferred to the east in time to come I am sure we will see further restrictions to timber harvesting on public land in the east of this state."

Mr Hall told Parliament however that reasonable timber harvesting is one of the most sound environmental practices that can be adopted in terms of management practice for the land.

He also said it was of concern that Australia continued to import almost twice as much forest products as it exported, with the imports generally coming from areas with poor practice.

"It is head-in-the-sand stuff to expect that we can lock away our own timber reserves but import timber reserves from Third World countries that have less sustainable timber practices than Australia does. It is just not possible for us to continue to do this year after year," he said.

Mr Hall said there were environmental benefits to having a well-managed, sustainable timber industry.

"Healthy forests are good for the environment, and you can only get healthy forests if you manage them. It is just about that time of the year now; a lot of gardens are cut back, and they look very bare and barren, but come spring or a couple of years later as bushier plants develop and grow, the product of those sensible management practices will be observed.

"It is the same with forests, except the product of good management techniques take a little longer to come. It is not until 5, 10, 20, 50 or 100 years hence that you see the product of your efforts using good management techniques and a sensible forest management regime.

"Healthy young forests are exceptionally good for the environment, particularly in terms of carbon dioxide absorption."

Mr Hall said it was also a necessity for good, sensible management because of the large numbers of introduced weeds in our forests. "Thinning trees is another important management tool called 'silviculture'. Selectively trees are taken out so that others grow bigger and better and get more light -- again an important management tool in the harvesting process.

"Good use is made of that thinning process, particularly for products that go into making paper. Ultimately harvesting itself is an excellent management tool. You have got to regenerate forests, and one of the best ways is to cut it down and let it grow again."

Mr Hall added that The Nationals were not opposed to reservations of forests in the form of national parks or other conservation areas.

"But we say quite strongly that you need a balance in respect to conservation and timber use. In Victoria we have some of the highest levels of reservations of ecological classes in the world, far in excess of the minimum amounts prescribed by international environmental agencies. But we still do not currently meet our own timber needs."

In stating the Nationals opposition to the Bill, Mr Hall said; "I think the timber industry in Victoria is perilously close to collapsing, and if this government continues to stay in office beyond the next election, then certainly the timber industry in the west and north of the state is gone and the pressure in the east will be immense.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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