Signatories Call For Passage of TFA Bill through House of Assembly

The signatories to the Tasmanian Forests Agreement 2012 have today called for the House of Assembly to pass the amended TFA bill.

Although not all aspects of the amended TFA Bill are supported by all signatories that they believe that the unique opportunities afforded by the TFA are of such importance for the future of the industry, conservation and the Tasmanian community that they are willing to work with the legislative framework to implement their Agreement and support the TFA Vision for Tasmania’s Forests.

The signatories have been working together and with governments over the past week and have agreed on a package of measures to re-build confidence in the workability of the TFA, and confidence that the spirit and intent of the TFA is able to be delivered. These measures include but are not limited to Forestry Tasmania’s commitment to seek certification, an EPBC Conservation Agreement, management of the Future Reserves by Parks, and a market compact between signatories, industry and key customers.

“This agreement, whilst not inconsistent with the legislation provides a clear pathway for the industry to have a future that is secure, supported by the community, and recognised with market desired certification,” said Terry Edwards, CEO of the Forest Industries Association of Tasmania, “This provides the legislative framework we need – but the hard work starts now to ensure that the promises of the agreement are now turned into reality which we will pursue in tandem with the environment movement,”

“A number of the core elements of the agreement were amended in the Upper House, but through some hard work over the past week between signatories and governments on a complementary package – we now have the confidence to work with the legislation and do our very best to make this agreement work,” said Vica Bayley from The Wilderness Society,

“This agreement is what workers in the industry want and need for a secure future,” said Jane Calvert National President of the Forestry Division of the CFMEU, “We need all parliamentarians to support the legislation in the lower house today,” she said,

“Whilst there is still some uncertainty, this legislation will protect iconic forests from logging, and it lays out a clear pathway for their formal reservation,” said Dr Phill Pullinger from Environment Tasmania, “The suite of complementary measures have given us the confidence that this still can work, and on that basis we’re asking the parliament to support the legislation.”
Joint Signatories Statement 30/4/2013