PM Transcripts

FOR PRESS P. M. No. 56/ 1964
AUSTRALIAN FORESTRY COUNCIL
Statement by the Prime Ministerg the Rt. Hon. Sir Robert Menzies
The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Sir Robert Menzies,
announced today that agreement has been reached between all
Australian Governments to set up an Australian Forestry Council
as a national advisory body on forestry matters.
The Council will provide the means for the mutual
exchange of information and views between the State and Commonwealth
Governments. It will co-ordinate research into problems
affecting the establishment, development, management and fire
protection of all forests and the utilisation of forest
products, and thus help to ensure the maintenance and improvement
of the quality of forests and forest products. It will assist
in co-ordinating the work of State and Commonwealth Governments
and also private enterprise in the development of Australian
forestry. Sir Robert said that many of our forest areas fulfil
an important function in that they protect the catchment areas
of many of our major rivers and water storages. Moreover, the
Australian forestry industry is an important one in the Australian
economy; the annual factory-door value of sawn timber, plywood
and veneers, fibre and particle boards, pulp and paper
manuf'actured from Australian forests is about œ C220M.
The Council will enable Australia to make the
best possible use of resources in men, technical knowledge,
available land and money and to co-ordinate activities in the
field of forestry practice and forestry research.
The Council will coim. prise the Minister for National
Development as Chairman, the Minister for Territories and the
Minister in charge of forests from each State. Provision has
been made for Ministers responsible for closely related
activities to be co-opted when problems of particular concern
to them are under discussion. The Council will be assisted by
a Standing Committee of Commonwealth and State officers.
CANBERRA, 23rd July, 1964.