Dr WOODRUFF – Thank you, Chair. Minister, Ta Ann is a timber production company that is known to have engaged in environmental and human rights abuses in Malaysia, and they’ve profited from the destruction of precious forests in Takayna/Tarkine here in Tasmania. Recently images were made public of thousands of cubic metres of veneer from our native forests that have been rotting in the yards of Ta Ann’s Smithton Mill.
It’s an absolute disgrace that the government has allowed these beautiful, high‑conservation‑value forests to be clear‑felled and then left to rot. Do you condemn this as a disgraceful waste, and will you condemn the practices of Ta Ann which do include deforestation and the degradation of indigenous lands in Sarawak?
Mr ELLIS – Thanks Dr Broad – Dr Woodruff – too many doctors in the house at the moment, including some of our team over there. On Ta Ann, I understand that advice has been provided to the company with regards to some of the existing stockpiled inventory that occurred during COVID, and the capacity for the mill to reprocess that to provide future value‑adding and resource. That is one of the amazing things about timber, of course, is that it can be reused in a range of different ways. It is ultimately a matter for the company, but certainly I’m advised that Ta Ann has written to other members of parliament regarding the situation that arose during some of the supply chain challenges during COVID. I will look to the team at State Growth, if there’s anything further to add.
Ms PINTO – The only other comment I would make is that at the 26th UN Conference of Parties (COP) meeting, the Australian Government signed an agreement to end deforestation by 2030. In Tasmania, there is no deforestation within the public forest estate. Over 85 per cent of Tasmania’s old growth forests are protected in our reserve system, and the clearance and conversion of native forested land must comply with the Tasmanian government’s policy for the maintenance of permanent native forest estate.
Dr WOODRUFF – Thank you, Ms Pinto. We’ve all seen the infamous photographs of single‑rider, enormous logs that are ancient forest, and they are definitely being chopped down. As to whether they’re being chopped down illegally, we’ve never heard of the government taking any enforcement or penalties against people who are chopping down such enormous trees.
In regards to Ta Ann and the allegation that it was because of supply chains issues that led to the problem, we’ve got photographs that show that that pile of veneer was sitting there well before COVID.
It beggars belief that the company would be receiving veneer to continue to process, and have this massive area in Smithton that they’re not moving on. Why are they getting stuff in before they’ve moved this stuff out? This is precious native forest veneer, just an enormous quantity of veneer that hasn’t been moved on. Why have you allowed the mill to keep receiving publicly‑subsidised native forests to make more veneer out of, when they haven’t moved the stuff that’s been sitting there for years?
Mr ELLIS – I think we’ve spoken about it already in terms of stock buying, but processors do stockpile timber in their yards for all kinds of reasons, including aged timber and optimised sale timing. I understand in this particular case of Ta Ann, they had experienced some veneer pack spoilage during storage. This product is not being wasted; as I mentioned, it’s being blended with new product to manufacture plywood for the building and construction industry so we can build more homes. The latest BBF propaganda is just part of their long‑running attack on our renewable and sustainable timber industry.
Dr WOODRUFF – When is all that wood going to be moved and made into ply?
Mr ELLIS – That is a matter for the company.
Dr WOODRUFF – Don’t you care? They’re our native forests, and they got there because we paid for them to go there, because we subsidised Forestry Tasmania. Have you not asked any more questions about when they’re going to do it?
Mr ELLIS – It’s a private company stockpiling timber products that will reprocess them, and that’s a matter for them.
