Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Environment and Communications References Committee for inquiry and report by 11 November 2015:

The future of Australian forest management, including:

(a) an assessment of past and current management of native forests, including assessment of Regional Forest Agreements in achieving their objectives and those of the National Forest Policy Statement, and other land management mechanisms and programs;

(b) assessment of the economic, environmental and social value of native forests for regional and rural communities, including for recreation and tourism;

(c) assessment of the challenges and opportunities for protecting the environmental values of native forests, including, but not limited to, biodiversity, protections for threatened species, water and bushfires;

(d) the impacts of climate change on native forests and plantations, and the role of native forests and forest management in mitigating the effects of climate change on people and the environment;

(e) assessment of the challenges and opportunities facing the forestry industry, and assessment of actions required to support competitiveness and employment, including but not restricted to innovation and investment, research and development, and the sustainability and management of the plantation forest estate;

(f) assessment of the workforce profile of the Australian forestry and forest products industry and the impacts of forest management regimes, such as Regional Forest Agreements, on employment;

(g) assessment of the most effective mechanisms for ensuring the social, environmental, and economic values of forests are effectively protected and managed for future generations; and

(h) any other related matter.