Forest Industry

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (16:18): My question is to the Minister for Forest Industries. Noting that today is National Forestry Day, will the minister update the council about the investment the Malinauskas Labor government has provided to the forest industry this term?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (16:18): I thank the honourable member for his question and I would wish everybody a happy National Forestry Day. As I have said many times in this place, forestry is the ultimate renewable. Here in South Australia, our plantation forests sequester a staggering 4.64 million tonnes of CO₂ each year from the atmosphere, creating a cleaner and greener future.

National Forestry Day is an initiative of the Australian and South Australian Forest Products Association to raise awareness of the importance of the forest industry here in Australia. In particular, I would like to thank SAFPA (South Australian Forest Products Association) for their continued advocacy and highlighting the importance and the sustainability of this industry.

This year it's perhaps even more significant as we are currently celebrating 150 years of forestry in South Australia. It was 150 years ago that George Goyder mapped out South Australia's first plantation and is indeed the birth place of the nation's forest industry in this state. Forestry is more than just growing trees. It is about jobs and economic prosperity while sustaining the environment and carbon sequestration. It is about renewability, innovation and a cleaner, greener future.

Forestry has been building our nation for the past 150 years and will continue to do so as governments around the world look to reduce carbon emissions while also building their economies. South Australia's forest industry is acknowledged nationally and internationally for research excellence, and that is why the Malinauskas Labor government is seeking to build on that by investing $16 million over 10 years for the creation of the Forestry Centre of Excellence. I am looking forward to its opening early in the new year, when the building is due to be complete.

In addition to the centre of excellence, I have previously announced the government has provided $2 million to develop a forest products domestic manufacturing and infrastructure master plan. Members may recall that I have spoken in this place on a number of occasions about some of the benefits of the master plan and what it has unlocked for the forest industry through the projects that have been funded: $2.34 million to replace fire towers with new AI fire detection technology to protect South Australia's forest plantation, which is valued at over $1 billion dollars, and $450,000 to Tree Breeding Australia to support the construction of a new facility in Mount Gambier, further strengthening our state's reputation as a leader in research and development.

As part of the 150^th year of forestry in South Australia, we are pleased to be hosting the week-long Forestry Australia Conference in October, with the theme being 'Restoring forests and landscapes and securing Australia's future'. What is worth noting is the emphasis on our future. Forestry requires long-term vision and long-term thinking. Indeed, trees that are harvested today have taken many years to grow and manage. To put this in perspective, the trees that are harvested this year were planted when the great Paul Keating was Prime Minister, when Carlton won the AFL premiership and when Telecom Australia rebranded to Telstra.

The trees that are planted today will not be harvested for use until 2055 if we are talking about our softwoods, which further speaks to the long-term vision of the forest industry. Decisions made today impact outcomes in 30 years' time. Our forest industry employs over 18,000 South Australians both directly and indirectly and contributes $3 billion to our economy each year. I am confident the industry has a bright future ahead of it, and I am excited to continue to watch the forest industry grow further. I have no doubt future generations will be talking about the importance of forestry in our state in another 150 years. Again, I wish everyone a happy National Forestry Day.