2018-06-27 Special Meeting Agenda

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA                                                                 27 JUNE 2018


1.    The Parties
There are multiple parties involved in this project including:

     HQPlantations (“HQP”)
      This is a planation timber company which holds Planation Licence Areas (PLAs) across
      Queensland including 1,492 ha in the Ringtail (879 ha) and Yurol (613 ha) Forest areas.
      The company proposes to surrender its PLA in these areas in exchange for compensation.
      HQP manages approximately 340,000 ha of forest throughout Queensland including both
      softwoods (pine) and hardwoods.

     Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (“DAF”)
      This Department has oversight (via its Forestry Division) of the State Government’s interest
      in both PLAs and State Forests that have timber extraction rights. The Minister for
      Agricultural Industry Development & Fisheries is the Hon. Mark Furner, MP.

     Department of Environment and Science (“DES”)
      This Department has policy and funding oversight of a range of environmental initiatives
      including decisions about acquiring conservation estate as well as being custodian and
      operator of National Parks in Queensland. The Ministerial responsibility for the environment
      portfolio changed after the State Election in November, 2017. The new Minister for
      Environment and the Great Barrier Reef, Minister for Science and for the Arts is the Hon.
      Leeanne Enoch MP who has been briefed and has indicated her support for this project.

    Noosa Parks Association (“NPA”)
      This is a not for profit community group based in Noosa incorporated under the
      Associations Incorporation Act. They have a range of objects including the protection of the
      natural environment in the greater Noosa - Cooloola region.

     Noosa Shire Council (“the Council”)
      The local government for the Shire of Noosa.


2.    The Project
The proposal is broadly the same as per the report of 13 October, 2017 which provided
considerable detail and analysis of the project.

The main variations that have arisen during the detailed final negotiations include:

a)    There will be a reduced area of state forest land of approx. 357.3 ha being available for
      early transfer to National Park. In the early part of the negotiations it was thought up to 900
      ha could be released from State Forest to National Park as soon as possible after the
      signing the State Deed of Funding (State Deed), but DAF have indicated they need to
      maintain access to areas marked on Plan A of the deed for 5 years. Those areas will
      transfer to National Park after that 5-year period.
b)    NPA have slightly increased the amount they will pay direct upfront to DES from $500,000
      to $541,666 upon the signing of the agreements leaving the balance of $625,000 to be paid
      to the State by Council and repayable by NPA to Council in five $125,000 annual
      instalments commencing 12 months after the signing of the State Deed.




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