Kangaroo Island

In reply to the Hon. F. PANGALLO (17 May 2022).

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries): I thank the honourable member for his question and provide the following response:

I understand a significant amount of standing and stored plantation timber remains on the island. After the fires it was estimated approximately 750,000 tonnes of standing pine and 3.5 million tonnes of blue gum hardwood remained that could potentially be salvaged. About 60 per cent of the pine and 90 per cent of the blue gum is under the ownership of Kangaroo Island Plantation Timbers, now known as Kiland, the rest is owned by a small group of private landholders.

Ideally the pine would have been harvested and transported to sawmills as soon as possible after the fires—as the wood deteriorates over time. I am advised the former governments’ softwood transport assistance scheme, has assisted with the transport of only about 5,400 tonnes of logs to date.

I assume your reference to dams is in relation to plantation timber storage. I understand Kiland has about 7,000 tonnes of softwood logs stored in dams on their properties.

The marine transport component remains a significant limiting factor with SeaLink currently the only transport provider available.

The government continues to support processes which aim to maximise the economic value of the remaining forest resource and is working with the Kangaroo Island Council on this matter.

The Minister for Climate, Environment and Water has advised:

I am advised that Kiland’s property managers AAG Investment Management are developing a koala management plan that describes how their harvest processes will be conducted to remain compliant with the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 and the Animal Welfare Act 1985 with regard to koalas.

If any additional measures to support the koala population on Kangaroo Island are required to be put in place following the clearing of blue gum plantations, they can be considered at that time.