Another week has passed and the Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources Senator Colbeck has missed another opportunity to provide further details about the outcomes of the internal review into the Carbon Farming Initiative Water Rule.
Today the Assistant Minister spoke at the Australian Forest Products Associations Forum and chose to keep the forestry industry in the dark about the water rule. The water rule continues to hold a brake on plantation investment in Australia.
Labor continues to call on the Morrison Government to release the outcomes of the water rule review and commit to removing the water rule.
Labors Shadow Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Australia, Lisa Chesters also spoke at the Forum and reaffirmed Labors commitment to working towards removing the water rule.
A Shorten Labor Government is committed to holding a summit for the forestry sector to inform the development of a comprehensive forestry strategic plan and in a bipartisan manner, will consider the work undertaken so far. This commitment has been supported by the Australian Forest Products Association.
Labors forestry plan will seek to adequately promote sustainable profitability, local downstream processing and good local jobs. It will be developed by government, industry, employers and trade unions.