The 2024 NSW RFAs Annual Meeting of Officials took place via videoconference on 26 November 2024. The meeting was attended by officials from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, the NSW Government Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, NSW Local Land Services, the NSW Environment Protection Authority and the NSW Natural Resources Commission.
The meeting and this communique satisfy the requirements of clauses 8B and 8C of the three NSW RFAs for the Eden, North-East and Southern regions:
8B: The Parties agree to hold annual officials-level, bi-lateral meetings in the years between each five-yearly review to monitor the implementation of the Agreement and discuss any matters or issues that arise.
8C: An online statement will be made publicly available on the outcomes of the meeting.
Officials heard updates on key forest-related policies being progressed by the Parties over the last year:
- The Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry provided an update on the Timber Fibre Strategy, including the convening of a Forestry Industry Roundtable under the Strategic Forest and Renewable Materials Partnership to oversee the work to establish the industry-led strategy. They also provided an update on the amendments to the Illegal Logging Prohibition Act 2012, and the work underway to progress the review of the National Forest Policy Statement through the Forestry Ministers Meetings forum.
- The Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water provided an update on the reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 under the Australian Government’s Nature Positive Plan and the commitment to apply National Environmental Standards to RFAs.
- Officials heard updates on matters relating to the NSW Forest Management Framework. This included updates on the consultation process for the NSW Forestry Industry Action Plan, an update on the consultation and assessment process to establish a Great Koala National Park (GKNP) on the NSW Mid North Coast, implementation of the 2022 Private Native Forestry (PNF) Codes, the finalisation of the Sustainable Yield review by Forest Corporation NSW, and the work underway to update the Overview of the NSW Forest Management Framework 2021. NSW Officials also provided an update on additions to the Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative (CAR) reserve system over the last year.
Officials discussed current research priorities and recent developments in forest-related monitoring, including work underway to review the RFA Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting (MER) Plan, overseen by the NSW Forest Monitoring Steering Committee, led by the NSW Natural Resources Commission. Updates were provided on the Coastal Integrated Forestry Operations Approval (IFOA) monitoring program, including progress on the first five-yearly review, and the PNF MER Framework. Officials from the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water also shared updates on their forest monitoring programs, as well as broader monitoring work conducted as part of the Saving our Species program, and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Ecohealth program. Officials reviewed and endorsed the current and research themes and priorities (as outlined in the RFAs) and discussed the advantages of aligning Commonwealth and state research activities to ensure well-informed research monitoring and reporting.
Officials received updates on threatened species management at both the state and federal level, including the preparation and implementation of conservation advice for Listed Species and Communities. Further discussion between NSW and Australian Government Officials will be undertaken regarding the process to consider listing and uplisting of threatened species in regulatory controls. Relevant agencies will meet offline to continue these discussions.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) provided an update on compliance and auditing activities including a summary over the last year under the Integrated Forestry Operations Approvals and the Private Native Forestry Code.
Officials considered progress made in preparation for the NSW RFAs five-yearly review, including preparation of the Progress Report, risk management, consideration of timelines, and communication/engagement approaches for public consultation. Officials noted the importance of delivering a timely outcomes-focused reporting of the RFAs.
Considering an annual meeting was held in 2024 and the NSW RFAs five-yearly review is expected to continue to be undertaken in 2025 (per clause 8A(d)), an annual meeting is not required in 2025 per clause 8B of the RFAs. However, officials acknowledged that agencies would continue to meet throughout the year to progress the five-yearly review and to discuss forestry matters relating to the implementation of the RFA in the spirit of ongoing communication between the Parties (per clause 8A(a)). The next annual meeting will be held no later than 30 November 2026.
26 November 2024