Question Without Notice No. 1541 asked in the Legislative Council on 29 November 2023 by Hon Dr Steve Thomas

Parliament: 41 Session: 1  

FOREST PRODUCTS COMMISSION — SOFTWOOD PLANTATION ESTATE 

1541. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the Minister for Forestry: 

(1) Given that private commercial enterprises are not able to claim public works exemptions  from local government planning regulations, is the government reneging on its  commitment to the Competition Principles Agreement? 

(2) Does the development of a public commercial enterprise for profit, such as the Forest  Products Commission's softwood estate, which is competing with private commercial  enterprise for the same purpose, qualify as a public work? 

(3) If yes to (2), why? 

Hon JACKIE JARVIS replied: 

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of the question. 

(1)–(3) The Cook Labor government, through its $350 million softwood investment program,  is acting and investing in the future of the state's softwood estate to ensure that the  construction and housing industry in Western Australia will have the resource that it  will require into the future. This investment is being made following years of inaction  under the previous Liberal–National government. The Forest Products Commission  has proceeded in accordance with appropriate legal advice.