15th Jun 2023, 10:10 AM – Senate Ending Native Forest Logging Bill 2023 - Second Reading - Agree with bill's main idea

The majority voted against a motion to give the bill a second reading. In other words, they voted against its main idea, which means that the bill will no longer be considered in parliament.

What is the bill's main idea?

According to the explanatory memorandum (which is an explanatory document prepared by the party introducing the bill, in this case by Victorian Senator Janet Rice (Greens)):

The Ending Native Forest Logging Bill 2023 repeals the Regional Forest Agreements Act 2002 which enables logging of Australian native forests to continue with exemptions from our country’s environmental protection laws. It also requires statements from the Minister and Threatened Species Commissioner about the impact of native forest logging on Australia’s international commitments.

For decades our native forests have been managed under ten Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs), established between the federal government and the states. These agreements cover the majority of forest in Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia, and New South Wales.

The stated intention of the RFAs was to provide long-term forest management to protect these complex ecosystems and ensure the viability of threatened species living in the forests, as well as govern the production of timber from these forests and maintain jobs.

They have failed to meet these intended goals, and the environmental and industrial context of the RFAs has substantially changed since they were commenced, in the late 20th century. For that reason, this Bill repeals this forest management framework.

Critically, forests covered by RFAs have had exemptions from the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act). This Bill would see the application of the EPBC Act to forestry operations, ensuring the same level of environmental approvals and protections as are applied to any other extractive industry.