PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA 29 NOVEMBER 1988
WORLD HERITAGE LISTING OF TASMANIAN FORESTS
I am pleased to announce that the Commonwealth and Tasmanian
Governments have agreed to nominate jointly for world
Heritage Listing large areas of the Lemonthyme and Southern
Forests, as decided by the Commonwealth on 4 August 1988.
The Walls of Jerusalem National Park and the Central Plateau
Conservation Area will also be jointly nominated for world
Heritage Listing by the two governments.
The Denison Spires, commonly known as the Hole in the
Doughnut, will be declared a State National Park under
Tasmanian legislation.
Magnificent tall trees in the Lemonthyme and Southern
Forests will now be preserved forever for the enjoyment of
future generations.
Today's announcement follows my Government's decisions to
nominate for World Heritage Listing Kakadu National Park
Stage 2, NSW Rainforests, tlluru and the Wet Tropics of North
East Queensland. In a world threatened by environmental
degradation Australia is now showing the way in the
conservation of nature.
Achieving the agreement of the State Government to joint
nomination of these areas of Tasmania is a tremendous
result, one about which both governments can take a great
deal of satisfaction.
I pay tribute to Premier Gray and his colleagues for the
manner and spirit in which they approached the negotiations.
Our two governments share the objective of maximising job
opportunities in Tasmania. To this end the Commonwealth is
providing a $ 50 million package over five years for
plantation development, timber industry training, access to
alternative veneer resources and other industry development
initiatives as prescribed in the industry agreement reached
by Senator Cook and Mr Groom.
The Commonwealth has also agreed, in principle, to give an
export licence to Huon Forest Products at a smaller level
than that requested, and is requiring that operations by
Australian Paper Manufacturers and Tasmanian Pulp and Forest
Products at Triabunna do not receive significantly smaller
allocations from the State Government. 13913
2.
The agreement is attached. It meets very well the
Commonwealth's objectives of environmental protection and
job creation in Tasmania. It should not be seen as a win or
a loss for any party in the debate. But it is a victory for
environmental protection and the responsible development of
our natural resources.
3914
HEADS OF AGREEMENT
28 NOVEMBER 1988
These Heads of Agreement record understandings and
undertakings reached between the Commonwealth and the
of Tasmania in relation to the resolution of the issu
arising out of the Lemonthyme and Southern Forests Ir
and other matters.
It is hereby agreed between the Commonwealth and the
of Tasmania that:
1) Apart from the Denison Spires, the area corns
known as the " Hole in the Doughnut", those a
specified by the Commonwealth Government's D
of 4 August 1986 ( see Attachment A) will be
nominated by the Commonwealth and the State
World Heritage listing. Questions relatingt
management, funding and related matters are
the subject of further discussion. The
commonwealth will provide tunding support,
precise level being the subject of further
discussion, in the normal context of the cul
management arrangements for the existing W02
Heritage Area. State
e s
iqui ry
State
~ only
reas
) ecis ion
jointly for
. o the
to be
the rent ld
2) The Hole in the Doughnut is to be the subject of
State protection as a National Park under Tasmanian
legislation.
3 916
3) The Commonwealth will provide the proposed Huon
Forest Products Woodchip Mill with a woodchip
export licence to permit Huon Forest Products to
operate at a wood intake of not less than 350,000
tonnes per annum of roundwood and up to 400,000
tonnes per annum of roundwood as available on a
sustained yield basis, plus such quantities as can
be realised from other sources on a short term
basis, such as fire damaged material, plantation
establishment, sawmill residues, etc.
It is agreed that the allocation to Australian
Paper Manufacturers will be at 185,000 tonnes per
annum of roundwood and that the Tasmanian Pulp and
Forest Products Triabunna Woodchip Mill will
receive roundwood allocations at a level not less
than 775,000 tonnes per annum.
4) The Commonwealth agrees to an increase in the
sustainable yield of pulpwood from Tasmanian
forests to the level assessed by the Tasmanian
Forestry Commission, being 790,000 tonnes of
roundwood per annum above the level agreed in the
Memorandum of Understanding.
The Commonwealth and Tasmanian Governments share
the objective of maintaining a viable veneer
industry. To this end, both Governments agree to
work jointly to develop access to alternative
veneer resource ( outside the agreed world Heritage
boundaries), new products and new markets. The
Commonwealth agrees to provide funds to enable this
to occur. 39.17
3.
6) As a result of the reduced availability of sawlogs
for the milling industry consequent upon listing of
the area in paragraph 1, the Commonwealth will
assist the State with the rationalisation and
reconstruction of the forest industry. The
Commonwealth will make available funding for this
purpose from the agreed package as detailed in
paragraph 8 below. The manner in which this
assistance is to be applied will be the subject of
further discussion between the two Governments. 9
7) To encourage the identification, segregation and
recovery of veneer grade material, the Commonwealth
will make available a bounty of $ 10 per cubic metre
for veneer logs produced and delivered to Tasmanian
veneer mills. This figure is subject to variation
after an assessment of its effectiveness.
8) The Commonwealth will make available, in a manner
to be agreed between the two Governments, over a
five year period beginning on 1 January 1989, a
package totalling $ 50 million, including:
up to $ 30 million to be paid to the State in
five equal instalments and to be expended by
the State for plantations and for other
suitable developments agreed by the
Commonwealth and the State consistent with the
forestry development elements of the
Cook/ Groom package ( a copy of which is at
Attachment B).
million for timber industry training,
development, marketing and design, including
specialised training in furniture and craft
design and manufacture.
3918
4.
an untied grant of $ 8 million, payable before
June 1989, to offset sunk costs of forest
roading and management planning incurred by
the Tasmanian Forestry Commission.
the balance to be provi led for the purposes
outlined in paragraphs 5, 6 and 7 above and
for other agreed purpores.
9) The Commonwealth and State -ndorse the elements of
the Cook/ Groom package at A. tachment B.
The Commonwealth agrees thit the elements of the
package detailed above will be quarantined for the
purposes of assessing Tasi ~ ia's entitlements to
all other forms of Common-alth financial
assistance, including wit -it limitation Financial
Assistance Grants, the Lc , n Council Program, Global
Borrowing Authority and . y specific purpose
payments.
11) The Prime Minister has . vited the State to submit
a list of proposals ide rifying activities with
substantial ongoing Con -, nwealth employment which
the State considers to io capable of being moved to
Tasmania. The Prime M rister undertakes, if such
proposals are practica le, to take up the matter
positively with Minisi rs, Departments and
Agencies.
12) The Commonwealth und( takes not to initiate any
further inquiries in' forestry in Tasmania or to
propose any other ar : s of Tasmania for World
Heritage listing wit:, out the concurrence of the
Tasmanian Governmen' 3919
13) The Commonwealth agrees that logging can continue
in National Estate areas subject to the
consultative arrangements at present in place or
those agreed between the Commonwealth and the State
from time to time such as the proposed Tasmanian
Forests Agreement.
Hawke
Prime ministe
( Graham Richardson)
minister for the Arts, Sport,
the Environment, Tourism
and Territories
( Peter Cook)
Minister for Resources ( Robin Gray)
Premier of Tasmania Groom)
minister for Forests
39 J