RFAs were signed between 1997 and 2001 on the basis of ‘Comprehensive Regional Assessments’ carried out in the 1990s. They were to remain in force for 20 years and were scheduled to expire between 2017 and 2021 (see table below).
Behind closed doors, governments have negotiated for native forest logging to be permanently exempt from Commonwealth environmental laws by extending RFAs indefinitely.
RFAs are supposedly subject to a performance review every five years with any proposed extension negotiated alongside the third five-year review. In the event, performance reviews have consistently been years late or not completed at all.
The process for extending the RFAs included:
- scoping agreement signed by the Commonwealth and each state
- draft ‘review report’ for the third five-year period that the RFA is in force (i.e. covering years 10 to 15) published for comment
- final ‘review report’ and recommendations published by an independent reviewer taking account of public comment on the draft
- joint government response to the review report recommendations
- negotation between the Commonwealth and the state, in secret, of amendments to the RFA including its extension
RFAs in Tasmania, WA and NSW have been extended in each case for 20 years in the first instance. Thereafter each five year review will trigger a five year extension.
| State | Region | Expiry date | Extended to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tas | Tasmania | 8 November 2017 | 8 November 2037 |
| Vic | East Gippsland | 3 February 2017 | 31 March 2020 |
| Vic | Central Highlands | 27 March 2018 | 31 March 2020 |
| Vic | North East | 23 August 2019 | 31 March 2020 |
| Vic | Gippsland | 31 March 2020 | 31 March 2020 |
| Vic | West | 31 March 2020 | 31 March 2020 |
| WA | South West | 4 May 2019 | 4 May 2039 |
| NSW | Eden | 26 August 2019 | 26 August 2039 |
| NSW | North East | 31 March 2020 | 26 August 2039 |
| NSW | Southern | 24 April 2021 | 26 August 2039 |
Victoria
The five Victorian RFAs expire on 31 March 2020. The Victorian government is conducting a process to ‘modernise’ the management of Victoria’s forests.
Separately, on 7 November 2019 the Victorian government announced its intention to end native forest logging altogether by 2030; but with no reduction in log supply until 2024. To be consistent, any extension to the RFA should be until 2030 at most.
RFA review process – state by state
Tasmania
| Date | Third five-year review |
|---|---|
| November 2012 | Due date for third 5 year review |
| November 2015 | Final review report published |
| September 2016 | Joint government reponse |
| August 2017 | RFA variation and extension signed |
Victoria
The five Victorian RFAs are being reviewed together. The first and second five-year reviews were combined with the final review report submitted in April 2010 and the joint government response tabled in April 2015.
| Date | Third five-year review |
|---|---|
| February 2012 | Due date for East Gippsland third 5 year review |
| May 2016 | Scoping agreement for third 5year review signed |
| January 2017 | East Gippsland RFA extended to 27 March 2018 to align with the Central Highlands expiry |
| December 2017 | Five yearly review report for Victorian RFAs published (covering July 2009 to June 2014) |
| March 2018 | East Gippsland, Central Highlands and North-East RFAs extended to 31 March 2020, aligning with the scheduled expiry date of the Gippsland and Western RFAs |
| June 2018 | Reviewer's report for the third five year review (2009 --2014) tabled in the federal parliament together with the joint Victorian and Australian government response to its 14 recommendations |
| May 2019 | RFA RFA reference group established as part of a process to 'modernise' Victoria's RFAs |
| March 2020 | All five Victorian RFAs expire |
NSW
The three NSW RFAs are being reviewed together. The final review report for the first five-year review was submitted in November 2009 and the joint government response tabled in October 2014. The second and third five-year reviews are combined.
| Date | Combined second and third five year review |
|---|---|
| August 2014 | Due date for Eden third 5 year review |
| December 2016 | Scoping agreement for combined second and third 5 year review signed |
| December 2017 | Combined implementation report for 2nd and 3rd five year reviews published (covers July 2004 to June 2014) |
| June 2018 | Reviewer's report on the combined second and third 5 year review tabled in the Australian parliament, together with a joint statement from the NSW and Australian governments stating that the two government are preparing a formal joint response to the reviewer's 16 recommendations. The governments also state that they have "committed to renew the NSW RFAs for a further twenty years and following extensive consultation, the agreements are now being finalised in close collaboration". |
| Nov 2018 | Eden, Southern and North East RFAs all extended to August 2039 (see details). New logging rules (Integrated Forestry Operations Approval for the Coastal Region) were adopted at the same time. |
Western Australia
The first and second five-year reviews were combined; the final review report was submitted in December 2013 and the joint government response tabled in February 2015.
| Date | Third five-year review |
|---|---|
| May 2014 | Due date for third 5 year review |
| January 2016 | Scoping agreement for third 5-year review signed |
| August 2017 | Review report and recommendations for the third five-year review published. The WA and Australian governments should make a joint response to the reviewer's recommendations. That has not yet appeared. |
| March 2019 | WA RFA extended to May 2039 |
