FED: Pollies gearing up for another go at RFA bill

AAP General News (Australia)
08-23-1999
FED: Pollies gearing up for another go at RFA bill

CANBERRA, Aug 23 AAP - Federal politicians are gearing up for another stoush over
controversial Regional Forests Agreement (RFA) legislation.

The federal Opposition and Greens are determined to amend the legislation in the Senate
this week.

But Forestry Minister Wilson Tuckey has put the Senate on notice the government will not
accept a key Labor amendment to the bill which removes the federal government's ability to use
export controls on wood sourced from a region where an RFA is in force.

Mr Tuckey said in a statement that Labor's proposal to make some or all RFAs subject to
approval by parliament was unconstitutional.

The Australian Government Solicitor had informed the government the measure contravened a
section of the Constitution which prevented preference being given by the Commonwealth to one
state or part of a state, he said.

"The ALP disapproval proposal seeks to limit its application to RFAs signed after March 1
1999," Mr Tuckey said.

"That is, in a blatant piece of political opportunism, the ALP is seeking to exempt the
Tasmanian, East Gippsland and Central Highlands RFAs from their proposed amendments, while
requiring all other RFAs to run the gauntlet prior to receiving coverage by the bill."

He said the Solicitor had advised that the existence of an RFA for a region could not be
made to depend on whether an RFA survived a process of parliamentary approval or disallowance.

The Government Solicitor had also advised there were other technical difficulties with
Labor and Green amendments.

"In addition to being constitutionally invalid, the effect of the amendments would be to
remove the certainty which the RFA provides for both forestry and conservation outcomes," he
said.

This week's Senate debate on RFA processes follows violence in Western Australia at the
weekend when anti-logging protesters accused forestry workers of smashing and burning their
camp near Manjimup, south of Perth.

The incident follows ongoing controversy in WA about the RFA process for that state which
has led Mr Tuckey to blame WA Premier Richard Court for failing to solve the issue.

AAP msl/arb

KEYWORD: FORESTRY

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