Today’s news of a Ministerial inquiry into forestry slash and land use in Te Tarāwhiti/Gisborne and Wairoa is welcome, but the forestry sector should have to compensate councils, landowners and communities for the enormous damage caused by land and logging management which has generated so much slash and sediment.

Proposed new legislation to reduce the risk that timber imported into Aotearoa New Zealand is sourced from illegal logging is a positive first step but it should go further, the Green Party says.

The Green Party will support the forestry sector to store carbon long-term and provide habitats for diverse species. We will ensure that forestry supports and protects the local community, including encouraging a value-added approach to forestry that involves diverse products and services. We will honour the kaitiaki role of tangata whenua and support a kaupapa Māori approach to forestry governance.  Vision Sustainable and diverse forests benefit local communities and ecosystems. Values and Principles Honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi: Forestry must...