Axes out: Labor’s internal forest war over logging certification

Labor is fighting its own ‘forest wars’, as rival policy groups clash over a push to abandon ‘gold standard’ forestry certification.

Logging at Eastern Tiers, Tasmania.

Labor is fighting its own “forest wars”, as rival policy groups clash over a push to abandon “gold standard” forestry certification.

Labor for the Wise Use of ­Resources – an internal pro-­resources group – has circulated a two-page attack on global Forest Stewardship Council certification. 

Some in Tasmanian Labor want the party, should it win government at the March 23 state election, to review support for FSC, believing it too hard to achieve and too heavily influenced by conservationists.

“Labor should adopt a policy that, if elected to government, we will conduct a review of the business case for Sustainable Timbers Tasmania obtaining FSC certification,” the Wise Use of Resources group says in a pitch to key members.

“The review needs to consider whether the demands being placed on Sustainable Timbers Tasmania by FSC are worth the benefits of access to markets, and to what extent we can convince these markets to recognise and accept the merits of (existing) ­Responsible Wood certification.”

Forestry companies seek FSC certification to allow them to market their products as more ­environmentally sound, potentially attracting a premium.

FSC is broadly backed by conservationists as a means of ­improving the sustainability of forestry operations.

Sustainable Timbers, Tasmania’s state-owned logger, has sought FSC for years; so far failing to sufficiently address issues such as protection of swift parrot habitat and old growth.

Labor resources spokesman Shane Broad said that the party would continue to pursue FSC but did not view the stamp of approval as “essential”.

Labor Environment Action Network, the party’s green-tinged policy group, attacked the push to drop FSC. “It’s not clear why our Labor comrades are pushing for this, when the industry itself is not,” network national co-covener Felicity Wade said. “Tasmania’s timber industry has huge reputational challenges that impact its market access. FSC is a globally recognised arbiter of sustainable practice (so) it is in everyone’s interest to build a timber industry that meets this standard.

“Sustainable Timber Tasmania’s practices do not meet market expectations. Clear-felling swift parrot habitat does not cut the mustard in international markets these days. Dumping FSC is not the answer.”

The attack on FSC is signed by Wise Use of Resources secretary and Australian Workers Union official Robert Flanagan, and its president, specialty timber champion George Harris.

Both declined to comment. FSC said their document contained “inaccuracies” and “misunderstandings”.

Sustainable Timbers, previously known as Forestry Tasmania, remains committed to obtaining FSC certification. Its website declares: “FSC certification is important to us. It will give us access to key markets. It will also add to stakeholder confidence that we’re managing the forests well.”

Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff on Friday announced the ­extension of native timber sawlog contracts from 2027 to 2040.

This is made possible by logging 40,000ha of forests protected under the 2012 forestry “peace deal”, as revealed by The Australian on Thursday.

However, Dr Broad said it was “very doubtful” the extra wood would secure “any reputable certification” due to the “significant conflict” logging those forests was likely to create.

Liberal Resources Minister Felix Ellis said his party was “open to industry’s views on ... FSC”.