NATIVE FOREST LOGGING — STUMPAGES
887. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the
minister representing the Minister for Forestry:
(1) Regarding
the financial year 2012–13, for the native forest logging industry,
excluding sandalwood, what was —
(a) the gross
stumpage; and
(b) the base
stumpage that the Forest Products Commission received from the sale of native
forest logs?
(2) Why is the
1 July 2013 Forest Products Commission's list of gross native forest
stumpages not available on the FPC website?
(3) Will the
minister ensure that it is put on the FPC website?
Hon KEN BASTON
replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of this question.
(1) (a) $17.4
million.
(b) $13.1
million.
(2) Two factors
have influenced the FPC's decision to no longer provide native forest
stumpage prices on its website. Markets for forest products have become
increasingly dynamic as the extent of global trade in forest products
increases. Both the FPC and its customers need to react to these changes in
both log and timber product prices. This can result in changes to pricing
within a short time. The native forest industry continues to adapt to the
dramatic reduction in log size and quality resulting from an increase in
reserve areas between 1999 and 2003. For the industry to remain viable, it is
necessary for the FPC to make changes to its log specifications that take
account of this changing resource. As both log grade and price are dynamic in
nature, the representation of stumpage prices and grades previously listed on
the FPC's website have become increasingly irrelevant.
(3) No.