Forestry Amendment (Timber Harvesting Safety Zones Bill) 2023
Recently, forestry contractors have seen a dramatic increase in protest activities within active harvesting zones. Everyone has the right to protest, however many of the activists have started putting their own lives at risk and that of others around them, entering lockout zones, running amongst machinery and trees wearing clothing that is difficult to see, even camouflage.
The objective of these activists is pure and simple, to be as disruptive as possible. Locking onto machinery, refusing to leave creating unnecessary risk, forcing Police Rescue to attend and 24/7 security on site. Once removed, these protestors are released from custody in as little as 24 hours, then commended and glorified by their peers.
The purpose of my Forestry Amendment (Timber Harvesting Safety Zones) Bill 2023 is not to stop the protests, but to increase penalties for those that deliberately obstruct and halt authorised Forestry operations by putting themselves in harms way.
Under the previous Government, legislation was bought in to amend the Crimes Act 1900 making it an office to damage or disrupt a major facility. The bill proposes to make a further amendment, to include the definition of a timber harvesting safety zone within the Act.
Research is emerging that shows responsible harvesting and management aids faster regrowth, and encouraging native flora and fauna to return much sooner. The Australian bush is incredibly resilient and timber will retain it stored carbon for life, even after milling and being transformed into furniture, flooring or any one of the thousands of other uses.
NSW employs selective timber harvesting, where only regrowth trees that meet a very specific criteria are approved for removal. One harvested, one replaced.
There is a real risk that NSW could follow in the footsteps of Victoria and Western Australia, calling an end to native timber harvesting and crippling timber supply, wiping out an industry that contributes billions to the Australian economy every year. Ending native timber harvesting will not stem demand, but force the import of timber from other countries where quality is sub-par, while driving an increase in costs.
Below is a copy of the bill, as well as my contributions to native forestry.
Bill:
Speeches:
Forestry Amendment (Timber Harvesting Safety Zones) Bill 2023
Questions Without Notice:
Notices of Motion:
Stihl Timber Sports
Victorian Native Forest Logging Ban
Proposed Great Koala National Park