Ms JAN BARHAM: My question without notice is directed to the Minister for Primary Industries,
and Minister for Lands and Water.
Section 69G of the Forestry Act 2012 requires that a review of New South Wales agreements
and related integrated forestry operations approvals be conducted every five years.
Noting that the most recent document relating to a review of forest agreements was published
in 2010, can the Minister indicate when the overdue third review of the New South Wales
forest agreements that is required under the Forestry Act will be undertaken?
The Hon. NIALL BLAIR: In the year 2016 we celebrate 100 years of the original Forestry Act here
in New South Wales, which then gave birth to the initial Forestry Commission, which
then went on to become in recent years the Forestry Corporation.
I am glad that the member has taken an interest in the role that our forestry sector plays
in New South Wales, particularly for our regional communities and the economies that rely upon
this important sector -- not only on the softwoods but also the hardwoods.
Just recently I was joined by the Hon.
Rick Colless in celebrating 100 years of forestry in New South Wales and the original Forestry
Act of 1916.
I am sure that as the next days go by I will have more of an opportunity to talk about this wonderful event.
The Hon. Lynda Voltz: Point of order: My point of order is relevance.
The member asked a question about when a report was due.
She did not ask for an extensive history of the 100 years of the forestry industry.
I ask you to bring the Minister back to the question.
The PRESIDENT: Order!
While struggling to see the relevance, I hate to discourage anyone from reflecting on our history.
I am sure the Minister will come to answering the question in due course.
The Hon. NIALL BLAIR: One cannot talk about the Integrated Forestry Operations Approvals [IFOAs]
without talking about the importance of the forestry sector in New South Wales.
The existing IFOAs for the coast regions consist of 12 separate licences and around 2,000 conditions.
They no longer reflect best practice, with many of the conditions being proscriptive,
overlapping and unenforceable.
The remake of the Integrated Forestry Operations Approvals [IFOAs] for the coastal regions
of New South Wales is expected to streamline and simplify the conditions for carrying out
harvesting while delivering the same environmental outcomes.
By focusing on outcomes and impacts, the new IFOA aims to deliver positive environmental
outcomes at the landscape level, enable industry to operate more efficiently and make the enforcement
of the conditions more meaningful.
There will continue to be a very high level of environmental protection oversight for
forestry operations in New South Wales as we go through with the remake.
In relation to an update on the progress and the timeframes, I am happy to take that part
of the question on notice and come back to the member.