The NSW Parliament last year established a committee from Members of Parliament to develop a report of recommendations in regards to passing or reviewing legislation.
Over 230 written submissions were made to the Committee and seven public hearings were held in Sydney and country areas. Invitations to the hearings were made to various stakeholder groups to present evidence as witnesses under oath or affirmation.
As expected a wide range of views have been presented with much of the concentration in regards to logging in native forest. The wide Terms of Reference covered both native and plantation forestry.
Late in the proceedings and on short notice the Committee called on the FTMA for attendance to the last scheduled hearing on 24 May 2022. This was in recognition of the work the FTMA had commissioned and made public in a FTMA newsletter regarding the future timber requirements of the industry. Specifically, it is understood the Committee was made aware of what has now become known as the ‘Magic Pudding’ article written by Tim Woods in April’s ‘Trussed Insights’.
The hearings are time limited and have a panel type format where stakeholders with similar interests are given the opportunity to make opening statements then followed by questioning from the members of the Committee.
Borg Manufacturing’s CEO Jim Snelson was joined by FTMA’s member and sponsor Programmed Timber Supplies’ director Warwick Drysdale as panel participants in a session that took evidence in regards to downstream manufacturing.
The hearing was live streamed and will be available on YouTube once edited for general viewing. The proceedings, with witnesses under parliamentary privilege, were also transcribed for Hansard.
Below is a copy of the opening statement made on behalf of the FTMA by Warwick Drysdale. A full transcript of the entire day’s hearing including the 45 minute panel session with the Borg and FTMA representatives will also be available on the Committee’s website.
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