Australia Yearbook - 2001

656 Year Book Australia 2001
Timber then and now
In 1901 Australian forests gave up 1.1 million
cubic metres of sawn or hewn timber. Nearly a
century later, our forests produced about three
and a half times this amount of sawn wood
(3.6 million cubic metres in 1998–99); over the
same period Australia’s population grew
five-fold. More use of timber substitutes such as
steel, concrete and plastic can probably explain
the disparity.
At the beginning of the 20th century,
Queensland (31%), Western Australia (27%) and
New South Wales (21%) produced the most
timber, but by 1998–99 Victoria was cutting
25% and New South Wales 24%; Queensland
dropped its share to 21%.
One hundred years ago, Australia was a net
importer of timber and timber products. In 1901,
Australia imported timber and timber products to
the value of about $130m in today’s terms, while
exports then would be valued at about $60m
now. In 1998–99, Australia was still a net
importer, in broadly similar proportions; the
value of exports of timber and timber products
($1.3b) was about 40% that of imports ($3.3b).
Management of forests
Land and forests management is primarily the
responsibility of State and Territory
Governments. Each State has a forest authority
responsible for the management and control of
publicly-owned forests, in accordance with the
relevant Forestry Acts and Regulations.
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and
Forestry–Australia (AFFA) and the Department of
the Environment and Heritage (E&H) are the two
key agencies which have responsibilities relating
to forests at the national level. Close liaison is
maintained between them on relevant issues.
AFFA’s main responsibilities are the development
of a national approach to forest management;
providing advice to the Commonwealth Minister
responsible for forest matters; administration of
export licensing responsibilities in relation to
unprocessed timber; liaison with State, national
and international organisations concerned with
forestry; provision of a Secretariat for the
Ministerial Council on Forestry, Fisheries and
Aquaculture (MCFFA); and management of policy
and program initiatives.
E&H has responsibilities for environmental
matters relating to forests, and provides policy
advice to its Minister and the Government on
conservation and environmental matters
pertaining to Australia’s forests, including
biological diversity and climate change. The
Australian Heritage Commission and
Environment Australia within the Environment
and Heritage Portfolio have assessment,
management and monitoring roles in respect of
the national estate, endangered species and
environmental impacts in Australia’s forests.
AFFA and E&H, in close cooperation with the
States, Territories and Ministerial Councils, were
extensively involved in the development of the
National Forest Policy Statement and the National
Forest Inventory, which resides in the Bureau of
Rural Sciences in AFFA.
The MCFFA consists of Commonwealth, State,
Territory and New Zealand Ministers responsible
for forestry. The Council is chaired jointly by the
Commonwealth Minister for Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry and the Commonwealth
Minister for Industry, Science and Resources.
MCFFA, the successor of the Australian Forestry
Council formed in 1964, works to provide
leadership and facilitate cooperation at the
national level.
Initiatives fostered by the MCFFA are aimed at
promoting the enhanced management of the
nation’s forest resources in the general interest of
the community. Most recently, it has been
involved in the development and implementation
of initiatives under the National Forest Policy
Statement in cooperation with the Australian and
New Zealand Environment and Conservation
Council.
Commonwealth Government
initiatives
National Forest Policy Statement (NFPS)
The NFPS was signed by the Commonwealth and
all mainland State and Territory Governments at
the Council of Australian Governments meeting
in Perth in December 1992. Tasmania became a
signatory in 1995. The Statement provides a
policy framework for the future management of