Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Rice, I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

  (i) the Victorian Government's announcement last week that they intend to end native forest logging in Victoria by 2030,

  (ii) that clear-fell logging of public native forests continues in Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, and continues to receive significant public subsidy, and

  (iii) that plantation-sourced wood and fibre makes up 88% of Australia's timber output; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to:

  (i) take national leadership to halt destructive logging and protect native forests for their values as complex ecosystems, including wildlife habitat, water supply, carbon storage and regional tourism, and

  (ii) establish a national aim of phasing out native forest logging, and for plantations and farm forestry to provide 100% Australian-grown wood and fibre.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Australian government does not support the Victorian Labor government's decision to end native forest harvesting in the state's forests by 2030. This will have a devastating impact on nearly 5,000 Victorians employed in the native forest industry, as well as their families and the regional communities that rely on this industry. The industry is well managed and sustainable and our government is committed to supporting both the strong plantation and the native forest sector. The Andrews Labor government should listen to the workers and regional communities and reverse this decision.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor will not be supporting this motion. The sustainable management of native forests is the responsibility of individual states and territories through the existing regional forest agreements, also known as RFAs. Labor continues to support the RFAs, which seek to balance competing economic, social and environmental demands on native forests.

Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave not granted.

Question negatived.