Thousands of NSW residents who use hardwoods daily have three days left to submit to the NSW Government’s new Independent Forestry Panel, which closes at 11.59 p.m. on Sunday, October 13th.
It came after the NSW government appointed Peter Duncan AM to lead a new Independent Forestry Forestry Panel, vowing to tap “into the knowledge of families, businesses and communities” in developing the plan. The appointment comes as the Minns Government balances its electoral commitment to establish a Koala Park while keeping its $2.9 billion hardwood timber industry alive.
This morning, Wood Central spoke to Maree McCaskill, the CEO of Timber NSW, who represents more than 8,900 workers in forestry operations, mills, transport, and logistics services across regional and rural NSW:
“So far, we know of at least one hundred different submissions that have now been submitted through online assessment; however, with three days until the deadline, we need more.”
“Of concern, none of these submissions appears on the NSW government website,” she said, adding that the industry is “maintaining a close watch on the transparency of the submissions process.”
Ms McCaskill said the hardwood industry should channel the success of last year’s Clarence Valley campaign, which saw more than 3,400 submissions – the vast majority in strong support of hardwood – lodged to the Clarence Valley Regional Council.
“The NSW timber industry is, in fact, a significant and growing part of the state’s economy and has had this central role in our regional communities for more than a century. For too long, governments have handed a timber or forest industry plan to the industry without consulting those businesses and people who effectively live and breathe it every day.”
“From flooring, decking, cladding, and appearance grade joinery to mining and transport timbers, we call out the false economy of pressuring the government to swap domestic timber harvested from 0.3% of available forests each year for imported timber from environmentally unregulated countries, often using child labour.”
What is the Independent Forestry Panel all about?
The panel will lead consultation on the sustainability of NSW’s current and future forestry operations – ahead of the Minns Government developing its Forestry Industry Action Plan, outlining the path NSW will take to ensure a sustainable timber industry aligns with key environmental priorities.
The panel is chaired by Peter Duncan AM, with members Professor Mary O’Kane AC and the Hon. Mick Veitch all responsible for engaging with community, environment, and industry stakeholders to ensure that a broad range of views are appropriately considered by government, including from the timber industry, forest growers, environment groups, unions, Aboriginal communities, local government, business, related industries, tourism, scientific experts and the Commonwealth Government.
How you can have your say?
The Panel is now calling for written submissions from all interested parties that address the following topics:
- Sustainability of current and future forestry operations in NSW.
- Environmental and cultural values of forests, including threatened species and Aboriginal cultural heritage values.
- Demand for timber products, particularly regarding NSW housing, construction, mining, transport and retail.
- The future of softwood and hardwood plantations and the continuation of Private Native Forestry is important in helping meet timber supply needs.
- The role of State Forests in maximising the delivery of a range of environmental, economic and social outcomes and options for diverse management, including Aboriginal forest management models.
- Opportunities exist to realise carbon and biodiversity benefits, support carbon and biodiversity markets, and mitigate and adapt to climate change risks, including the greenhouse gas emission impacts of different forest uses and assessment of climate change risks to forests.Â
Wood Central understands that stakeholders can submit online to the Independent Forestry Panel by clicking on this link. Submissions will be accepted from September 12th to October 13th, 2024.Â
