Media release
7 August 2011
Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Tasmanian
Premier Lara Giddings have this morning
signed a landmark agreement that will provide
certainty for Tasmania’s forestry industry,
support local jobs and communities, and
protect the state’s ancient forests.
The agreement has been
reached between the Federal and State Labor
Governments after a long period of collaboration
and consultation with key industry and environmental
stakeholders.
The agreement will help
the forest industry adapt to market changes
while protecting the communities and families
that rely on the sector to survive.
Under the agreement
a total of $276 million, including $15 million
from the State Government, will be provided
in the following key areas:
$85 million to support contractors and their
families affected by the downturn in the
industry, and in particular Gunns Limited’s
decision to exit native forest harvesting
$43 million to facilitate protection of
new areas of high conservation value forests
$120 million over 15 years, including an
initial payment of $20 million to identify
and fund appropriate regional development
projects
$7 million per annum ongoing to manage new
reserves.
The industry support
package includes up front funding of up
to $25 million for immediate employment
and training support for redundant forest
workers.
Those made redundant
from eligible companies in the forestry
industry will receive intensive and accelerated
support through Job Services Australia and
other providers.
In recognition of the
impact of the forestry industry changes
on the people in the timber communities,
the Agreement also provides $15 million
to ForestWorks Ltd to administer transition
support payments for workers and contractor
employees as well as $1 million in support
through Rural Alive and Well.
The Australian Government
will provide $45 million in assistance for
voluntary exits from public native forest
operations for haulage, harvest and/or silvicultural
contractors.
Significantly, the agreement
guarantees protection for Tasmania’s most
iconic ancient forests.
Tasmania will immediately
place 430,000 hectares of native forest
into informal reserve, subject to verification,
which the governments will protect under
a Conservation Agreement.
Reserves will include
areas such as the iconic forests in the
Styx, Upper Florentine, Huon, Picton and
Weld Valleys and the Great Western Tiers,
Tarkine and Wielangta areas. These forests
will not be accessed for harvest while verification
takes place.
An Independent Verification
Group will be established to provide advice
to the Prime Minister and the Tasmanian
Premier on sustainable timber supply requirements
and areas and boundaries of reserves from
within the ENGO-nominated 572,000 hectares
of High Conservation Value native forest.
For the first time,
this process will provide an independent
and robust assessment of the definition
of high conservation values and recommendations
of the areas that should be protected in
permanent reserve.
Once this process is
complete the State will develop legislation
to formalise reserves and guarantee annual
sustainable timber supply from production
areas in public forests of at least 155,000
cubic metres of high quality sawlog per
year.
Contracts for 265,000
cubic metres of peeler billets will be honoured
and protected. In addition, speciality timber
will be provided and all contracts for native
wood supply will also be honoured.
The Agreement is consistent
with the Statement of Principles agreement
between environment non-government organisations,
the Tasmanian forestry industry and the
CFMEU, which was presented by independent
facilitator Mr Bill Kelty last month.
The Federal and State
Governments urged all parties to recognise
the opportunity to move forward after more
than 30 years of bitter conflict in order
to build a stronger future for Tasmania.
This agreement marks
a new chapter in the diversification of
the state economy and the protection of
Tasmania’s precious environment.
+ More
Reforms better for the
environment, better for business
Media release
24 August 2011
The Gillard Government today announced significant
reforms to Australia’s national environmental
law to better protect the nation’s stunning
environment and keep pace with economic
growth.
Environment Minister
Tony Burke today outlined the first major
overhaul the Environment Protection and
Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC)Act 1999
since it was created more than a decade
ago, which includes the Government’s response
to an independent review of the Act by Allan
Hawke AC.
The reforms outline
better environmental protection focusing
on whole regions and ecosystems and faster
environmental assessments.
They also outline a
consistent national approach to environmental
impact assessments that removes duplication,
cuts red tape and provides better upfront
guidance on legislation requirements, with
more long-term certainty and transparency.
“When it was introduced
12 years ago, the EPBC Act 1999 provided
substantial powers to the Federal Government
to regulate matters of national environmental
significance and conserve our unique biodiversity,”
Mr Burke said.
“But as our communities and economy have
grown, our experience in managing our environment
has also evolved.
“These reforms will
help to ensure Australia’s national environmental
laws remain effective in protecting our
unique environment and cutting red tape
for businesses for job-creating projects.
“It sets out a new national
approach to the protection of Australia’s
environment and biodiversity which will
be better for the environment, better for
business and mean better co-operation between
government, industry and communities.”
The environmental reforms
include:
A more proactive approach to protecting
Australia’s environment through more strategic
assessments and regional environmental plans.
Identifying and protecting ecosystems of
national significance under the EPBC Act
through regional environment plans, strategic
assessments or conservation agreements to
protect the most significant and healthy
ecosystems before they are threatened or
degraded.
A more co-operative
approach to developing environmental standards
by establishing a new National Centre for
Cooperation on Environment and Development
that will bring together industry, scientists,
non-government organisations and governments
to work together on environmental standards,
guidelines and procedures. Expressions of
interest for the new centre open today.
A more streamlined assessment process to
cut red tape for business and improve timeframes
for decision making, including an option
for decisions on proposals within 35 business
days, if all required information is provided.
New national standards for accrediting environmental
impact assessments and approvals to better
align Commonwealth and state systems.
A new Gillard Government
Biodiversity Policy for consultation to
further protect ecosystems across the continent
and guide future biodiversity planning and
programs with a draft policy released for
consultation today.
Establishing a single
national list of threatened species and
ecological communities to reduce inconsistencies
between jurisdictions.
Better regulation of international trade
in wildlife by streamlining permits.
More transparent information
to inform communities about environmental
assessments, including making it standard
practice to publish the Environment Department’s
recommendation reports.
Better processes for
heritage listing through a more transparent
listing processes based on a single assessment
list.
Development of an environmental offsets
policy to better explain to proponents and
the community how offsets are assessed and
what would be acceptable under specific
proposals. A draft policy has been released
today for consultation with industry and
communities.
Public consultation
on possible introduction of cost recovery
to ensure adequate resourcing for administration
of the EPBC Act, with a release a cost recovery
paper which will outline options for cost
recovery of specific activities under the
EPBC Act.
The environmental reforms
outlined by the Gillard Government today
will be built on through the Council of
Australian Governments (COAG) national reform
agenda by further new mechanisms such as
national standards and guidelines to reduce
duplication and streamline state laws with
federal laws.
The environmental reforms
and proposed changes to the EPBC Act follow
an independent review commissioned by the
Government and led Mr Hawke which provided
71 recommendations, 56 which have been agreed
fully or in part and 15 which have not been
accepted. For more information on national
environmental law reforms and the Government’s
full response to the review of the EPBC
Act 1999 by Mr Hawke, go to www.environment.gov.au/epbc/reform.
