Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House the State Government’s commitment to permanently end native hardwood logging of state forest in the South East Queensland Regional Plan (SEQRP) area as agreed to under the 1999 South East Queensland Forests Agreement (SEQFA) signed 25 years ago. And also, the more recent announcement by then Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to transition 20,000 hectares to the conservation estate prior to 31st of December 2024.

Currently only 2,550 hectares of state forest within the SEQRP area has been dedicated to the conservation estate. As such, approximately 67,450 hectares of high conservation value native forest is now available to contribute to the state government’s target to double Queensland’s conservation estate from 8.2% to 17% by 2030.

The Australian Threatened Species Index demonstrates that over the last 25 years Queensland's threatened terrestrial native birds and terrestrial mammals have declined by 70% and 60% respectively with many species trending towards local extinction, including our Greater Glider.

Permanently protecting state forests in the SEQRP area will enable us to replenish our stock of old growth forest so they can recover their full potential to provide the abundance and diversity of ecological resources necessary to support genetically diverse viable metapopulations that are not just marginally surviving but are able to recovery and thrive in their natural habitat over time.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to bring this to the attention of Queensland Premier Steven Miles to ensure the original conservation commitments of the SEQFA are honoured.