Inquiry into the Forestry Marketing and Research and Development Services Bill 2007 and Forestry Marketing and Research and Development Services (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Bill 2007

Information about the Inquiry

On 10 May 2007, the Senate referred the provisions of the above Bills to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee for inquiry and report by 12 June 2007.

The Bill replaces the current Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation with a not-for-profit forestry industry services company to provide marketing, research, development and other industry services to the forest industry.

The Bill also provides the Minister with the authority to enter into a funding contract with a company to enable it to administer levies, state grower contractual payments, research and development and manage the Commonwealth's matched funding for research and development expenditure.

The Bills, Explanatory Memoranda and Minister's second reading speech may be accessed at http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/browse.aspx?path=Legislation > Current Bills by Title > Forestry Marketing and Research and Development Services Bill 2007 and http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/browse.aspx?path=Legislation > Current Bills by Title > Forestry Marketing and Research and Development Services (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Bill 2007

Lodging submissions

Submissions are called for by 1 June 2007. Submissions become Committee documents and are only made public after a decision by the Committee documents and are only made public after a decision by the Committee. Unauthorised release of submissions is not covered by parliamentary privilege. The Committee prefers to receive submissions electronically as an attached document - email: rrat.sen@aph.gov.au Further assistance can be obtained by phoning the secretariat on (02) 6277 3511.

Information relating to Senate Committee inquiries, including notes to assist in preparation of submissions for a Committee, can be located on the the Internet at https://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/wit_sub/index.htm

The Committee intends to hold a public hearing in Canberra on 5 June 2007, subject to submissions received.

Inquiries from hearing and speech impaired people should be directed to the Parliament House TTY number (02) 6277 7799. Adobe also provides tools for the blind and visually impaired to access PDF documents. These tools are available at: http://access.adobe.com/. If you require any special arrangements in order to enable you to participate in a committee inquiry, please contact the committee secretary.

For further information, contact:

Committee Secretary
Senate Standing Committees on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia

Phone:	+61 2 6277 3511
Fax:	+61 2 6277 5811
Email:	rrat.sen@aph.gov.au