Mike Codd ends duties & agreement is reached between CALM & EPA

25/1/99

Environment Minister Cheryl Edwardes said yesterday she was pleased to announce that Mike Codd had concluded his duties and there were no longer issues in dispute between the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

Mr Codd worked with EPA chairman Bernard Bowen and CALM executive director Dr Syd Shea to facilitate the resolution of a number of important issues arising from the EPA's mid-term report on CALM's compliance with the Ministerial Conditions attached to the Forest Management Plan 1994-2003.

Mrs Edwardes said the two agencies now effectively agreed on all the matters previously an issue between them.

"The ability to mutually reach agreement so quickly on the matters raised by the EPA is a credit to all parties involved," she said.

"This is the best possible outcome and both CALM and the EPA are committed to working together to implement the agreement reached."

The Minister said the EPA acknowledged that CALM had complied with the Ministerial Condition relating to the level of harvest set for the 1994-2003 Forest Managements Plans.

"The EPA and CALM recognise that the forest harvest levels were transitional and were established to allow the forest industries to restructure with a view to a new harvest level at the completion of the Forest Management Plan to implement the RFA," she said.

Mrs Edwardes said the EPA compliance report had raised a number of important issues in relation to forest management in Western Australia.

The report had been provided at a time when the RFA was being finalised, and many of the matters raised by the EPA will be given attention through the RFA process.

The RFA process would calculate an expected sustainable yield figure to be included in the agreement. This was based on the best possible scientific evidence gathered and using the methods and data which had been assessed by Dr B J Turner of the Australian National University.

Mrs Edwardes said an expert taskforce - established by both the State and Federal Governments - would scrutinise the calculation of the expected sustainable yield figure developed for the RFA, prior to its signing. The chairman of the EPA would be invited to participate or nominate a member to this taskforce.

The Minister said prior to the development of the proposed Forest Management Plan to implement the RFA, the WA Government would appoint an expert panel to externally review the expected sustainable yield figure established from the RFA process.

The panel's advice would be consistent with the principles of ecologically sustainable forest management, and with appropriate provision for potential improvement in utilisation, consistent with the outcomes of the RFA.

An invitation would be extended to the chairman of the EPA to nominate a member to this panel as well.

Mrs Edwardes said that in accordance with her public commitment, she was making a copy of Mr Codd's advice to the public.

Copies are available by contacting 9421 7777.

Media contact: Nicole Trigwell 9421 7777