Two peak industry bodies have joined forces to refute comments by Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation (ACBF) chair Dr Ken Henry about land clearing and loopholes in Australia’s environmental laws.
During a Committee for Economic Development of Australia speech this week, Dr Henry claimed “irresponsible clearing” was occurring in Australia and current environmental laws and the proposed EPBC Act reforms would not close a deforestation loophole.
The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) and the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) disputed these claims by Dr Henry that misrepresent the facts about Australia’s forestry and farming sectors.
AFPA Chief Executive Officer Diana Hallam said: “Australia’s forest industries do not engage in deforestation, and we replace every tree that is harvested.
“There are also no loopholes in the EPBC legislation, current or proposed.
“As the Federal Court confirmed only last year, Australian Regional Forest Agreements (RFA) are an alternative mechanism by which the objects of the EPBC Act can be achieved, by way of an intergovernmental agreement allocating responsibility to a State for regulation of environmental matters of Commonwealth concern within an agreed framework.
“It is important, therefore, to reiterate that entry into an RFA does not result in a regulatory void with respect to any particular forestry region on matters of national environmental significance.”
NFF General Manager Natural Resource Management, Warwick Ragg said: “We are not in the business of deforestation in Australia. The management of Australia’s native forests, regrowth, addressing woody and noxious weeds is not deforestation.
“It’s disappointing and irresponsible to see these claims being made that undermine the genuine environmental and sustainability credentials of Australian farmers.
“The so-called ‘deforestation loophole’ doesn’t exist, the EPBC Act has never regulated clearing.
“Analysis of the current EPBC reform proposals show that a resolution of the dual consent issue will assess both clearing and threatened species concurrently through bilateral agreements.”
Dr Henry’s comments are also at odds with United Nations’ climate change mitigation science – where the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently said: “A sustainable forest management strategy aimed at maintaining or increasing forest carbon stocks, while producing an annual sustained yield of timber, fibre or energy from the forest, will generate the largest sustained mitigation benefit.” – IPCC 4th Assessment. The Australian Conservation Foundation also stated in the media: “The majority of the 40,000 beef producers in Australia are deforestation free.”
Background
This ABARES chart shows the loss of permanent forests in minimal and declining.
Australia does not have a deforestation crisis. Australia has in fact recorded the world’s second highest rate of reforestation, an increase of 4.4 million hectares from 2010 to 2020. That’s an area the size of Switzerland (Source).
Stacey Davidson
Ashleigh Whittaker