Why didn’t the Australian Government consider the impacts on Tasmania’s forests?
The timber supply for the mill will come from forests covered by the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement, an agreement between the Tasmanian and Australian governments which sets aside an extensive forest reserve system across Tasmania, including 78 per cent of old growth forests. Forestry operations that are undertaken in accordance with a forestry agreement are exempt from needing further approval under the national environment law, so the former environment minister was not able to take wood supply into account when he made his original approval decision in 2007. The current minister can also not intervene in this matter as it falls outside the jurisdiction of national environment law. However, Gunns has committed that no old growth forests will be used as feed stock for the mill. The Australian Government recognises the crucial role of forests in combatting greenhouse gas emissions and as carbon sinks. It is committed to addressing climate change through sustainable forestry and fo
