A new 54,000-hectare Glider Plan has incensed Queensland’s $700m hardwood industry, with Timber Queensland, the industry’s peak body, accusing the Queensland Government of “pulling an election stunt.”
This afternoon, Wood Central spoke to a spokesperson from the group who accused the Miles Labor Government – now tanking in the polls – of “appeasing environmental activists with scant regard for its own timber policy, environmentally sound land management and the many regional communities and thousands of people dependent on the timber industry.”
According to Curly Tatnell, Timber Queensland’s Hardwood Divisional Chair, the State Government’s announcement to form the Glider Park, as revealed by Wood Central yesterday, complete with pre-determined areas of mapped forest, makes a mockery of the consultative framework the Premier established less than two months ago.
“The first meeting of the advisory group under the Government’s new timber policy only took place on the 15th of August. This group is tasked with providing advice on the scope and options for timber supply and protected areas to be worked through to the middle of 2025,” he said.
Mr Tatnell, who is also director of DTM Timber, one of the state’s largest hardwood suppliers, said the hardwood industry was already facing a 40% reduction in state timber supply from next year – due, he said, “to a unilateral decision by the Government in 2019 to cease timber harvesting in the South-East Queensland Regional Plan area.”
“We have the Government railroading further forest areas out of production with no consultation with the group or testing of the scientific validity of mapped areas or other alternatives for glider protection. There is also no information on the impact of timber supply.
“This is disingenuous and an insult to the workers and families in our sustainable native forest industry.”
Wood Central understands that Timber Queensland has now written to Queensland’s Premier, “seeking assurances for long-term contract certainty for native hardwood saw millers from state forests, which has fallen on deaf ears and put $140 million of planned investment for timber production and 6000 jobs at risk.”
According to Mr Tatnell, Queensland’s timber industry does not support the locking up forests where there is clear evidence that well-managed state forests provide superior environmental and economic outcomes for the community:
“It also makes a mockery of the Government’s aim to maintain current timber supply levels from 2025 to 2034 as an essential building material in the middle of a housing crisis.”
The Glider Park also includes a 7,400-hectare offset for a hydro project.
The park, announced by Leanne Linard, the State’s Environment Minister, on Saturday, represents Queensland’s most significant investment in conservation.
“This Government has committed a record $262.5 million over four years to grow our protected areas—the single most significant investment of its kind in Queensland’s history, according to Ms Linard, the State’s Minister for the Environment, the Great Barrier Reef, Science and Innovation.
“Since 2015, 1.88 million hectares of land has been added to the protected area system, increasing from 13.1 million hectares to almost 15 million hectares protected,” said Minister Linard.
Wood Central can confirm that the Greater Glider Forest Park areas will expand and link existing but fragmented protected areas near Conondale National Park in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland northward to Cordalba National Park (near Childers) to conserve core Greater Glider habitat.
The commitment comes after Wood Central revealed that Steven Miles, Queensland’s Premier and Cameron Dick, Treasurer, will invest $200m as part of the 30-year Queensland Sustainable Timber Industry Framework.
“I know how important Queensland’s timber industry is to our state’s housing and building sectors,” said Bruce Saunders, Assistant Minister for Train Manufacturing, Regional Development and Jobs: “That’s why the Miles Labor Government is supporting timber workers and the industry in continuing to build our state while increasing our protected area estate.”
