Question On Notice No. 885 asked in the Legislative Council on 30 August 2022 by Hon Dr Brad Pettitt
Question Directed to the: Minister for Regional Development representing the Minister for Forestry
Parliament: 41 Session: 1
Question
(1) Can the Minister confirm that the Forest
Products Commission (FPC) is approaching Traditional Owners (or their
Prescribed Body Corporates (PBCs)) who hold Exclusive Possession Native Title
rights and seeking to have them agree to supply native sandalwood to the FPC?
(2) If yes to (1):
(a) which Traditional Owners or PBCs holding
exclusive possession native title rights has the FPC approached;
(b) have any Traditional Owners or PBCs holding
exclusive possession native title rights entered into any agreements with FPC
to supply sandalwood;
(c) if yes to (2)(b):
(i) for what volume of sandalwood;
(ii) over what area;
(iii) in what form (green or dead);
(iv) what price per tonne has the FPC offered and
agreed to pay for the purchase of sandalwood;
(v) has each agreement been referred to Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) for
approval under the Biodiversity Conservation Act and regulations and, if not, why not;
(vi) under what legal authorisation does the FPC
enter into and manage these agreements; and
(vii) under what location-specific sandalwood
management plan or harvest plan will the taking of sandalwood in each of these
agreements be regulated and overseen, and by whom;
(d) has the FPC sought such sandalwood supply
agreements with Traditional Owners (or their PBCs)
who hold Exclusive Possession Native Title rights and been rejected:
(i) if yes to (d), on how many occasions and in which
locations;
(e) how much has the FPC budgeted in costs to secure
supplies of sandalwood from exclusive possession native title lands;
(f) who will be responsible for harvesting any
sandalwood on exclusive possession native title lands, and what is the budgeted
cost per tonne of such harvesting; and
(g) how much profit has the FPC budgeted to make,
per tonne, from the on-sale of any sandalwood sourced from exclusive possession
native title lands?
Answered on 11 October 2022
(1) No
(2) Not Applicable