KOALAS

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (15:03): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation questions on the topic of koalas.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: In August, I wrote to the minister's office concerning the thousands of koalas facing injury or death in forestry operations in the south-east of Australia. I asked what action was being taken over the disturbing revelations made first on the 7.30 program, on the ABC, and to ensure that action was being taken to ensure that logging operations in South Australia were not threatening the health and welfare of the koala population in the region.

Since then, the report of the international auditor, Rainforest Alliance, has been released, finding significant failures in the Australian Bluegum Plantations' (ABP) management of wildlife during forestry operations. It has been issued with six major nonconformances. The ABP has now been stripped of its Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certification and has had to suspend harvesting operations in some operations, as the auditors noted that they were 'not taking sufficient steps to recognise the extent of the issue and address the issue'. My questions are:

1. Will the minister advise the council what steps his department has taken to investigate the Australian Bluegum Plantations' forestry operations in recent months?

2. What steps have been taken to ensure forestry operations are not in contravention of the Animal Welfare Act or do not continue to threaten the health and welfare specifically of the koala populations in these affected regions?

3. What assistance is the government able to provide to wildlife carers dealing with the injured koalas, carers who to date have been entirely self-funded?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:05): I thank the honourable member for her most important question. I understand, and we all probably know, that there have been reports in the media of koalas being injured in western Victoria and the South-East of this state when timber plantations are being harvested. Following these media reports, the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources conducted an investigation into the matter, and I am advised that it found no evidence of koalas being injured in timber plantations within this state.

I have been advised by my department that it has not received any specific reports of koalas being injured in timber plantations within South Australia. In South Australia koalas are a protected animal within the definition of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. Where koalas are reported to have been injured or killed in South Australia, wardens appointed under the act will investigate the matter. Where there is sufficient evidence, the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources will prosecute.

I am advised that in recent years Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, in consultation with my department, have provided information to timber industry members regarding best practice harvesting operations. The government takes the protection of all our native animals across the state quite seriously, and I will be monitoring this situation quite closely.

I have charged my department with reviewing current legislation, policy and codes of practice that protect animal welfare in our state and that regulate the interaction between forestry operations and koalas to ensure that these effectively minimise the impacts of blue gum timber harvesting upon koala populations and any other protected species in those environments. I have also charged my department to work closely with PIRSA and the forest industry to develop policies for privately-held forests to ensure the industry meets its responsibilities under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 and the Animal Welfare Act 1985.

I am advised that the timber industry, through its Green Triangle Regional Plantations Committee, has established a working party to develop best practice guidelines to minimise harm to any wildlife during harvesting operations. Membership of the working party includes Victorian wildlife protection organisations, I am advised. I am also advised that the Green Triangle committee recently released an industry-wide koala management policy for plantation harvest operations. I have recently been given advice from my department on these issues that include the Green Triangle committee's koala management policy, and I am currently considering this advice.

The ABC's 7.30 program recently highlighted the findings of a published compliance audit, which had been undertaken on the Australian Bluegum Plantations in the Green Triangle region of south-west Victoria by the Forest Stewardship Council of Australia. The compliance audit was conducted following concerns raised by local stakeholder groups regarding the welfare of koalas in blue gum plantations in south-western Victoria.

The compliance audits were conducted on the operations of the company, Australian Bluegum Plantations, in south-western Victoria, and the audit report found a number of nonconformances with the standards set by FSC International. These standards are the criteria used to determine whether or not a company can obtain FSC certification. FSC certification is a valuable branding tool for the timber industry, as many overseas timber markets will not accept timber products which do not carry FSC certification.

In line with the FSC International's standards, the occurrence of five or more major noncompliances in one surveillance evaluation is grounds for a certificate to be suspended. ABP has received a notice, I am advised, of suspension of its FSC certification. This provides ABP with a 30-day notice period that its certification will be suspended, giving it the opportunity to manage its affairs, such as contacting customers and removing the FSC brand mark from its products and marketing material.

Given the economic value of the FSC certification, ABP will no doubt be undertaking the many steps necessary to ensure it is compliant and can regain its FSC certification as soon as possible. Having said that, my department will work very closely with PIRSA and the industry to make sure that the situation with koalas, as reported on the ABC, in western Victoria will not happen in South Australia.