Right to information
Accessing NSW Government information
The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act) creates rights to information and is designed to:
- meet community expectations of open and transparent government
- encourage government agencies to proactively release government information.
You can find out more about your right to information and new ways to access NSW Government information on the Information and Privacy Commission NSW website.
Agency information guide
Find out what type of information Forestry Corporation holds which could be applied for under the GIPA Act.
Accessing information
There are four ways in which Forestry Corporation makes information available under the GIPA Act.
Mandatory disclosure
Forestry Corporation is required to publish open access information on our website, free of charge. This information includes:
- Documents tabled in Parliament by or on behalf of the Forestry Corporation
- Forestry Corporation Annual Report
- Auditor General's Performance Audit of Native Forest and Hardwood Plantation Operations
- Policy documents
- Disclosure log of access applications
- Register of FCNSW contracts - see the contracts register or view Wood Supply Agreements
- Register of Government Tenders
- Record of open access information not disclosed
- Properties disposed of by Forestry Corporation. This information can be found in Forestry Corporation annual report
Disclosure log 2017
| Reference | Information Released | Date of decision | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| GIPA2017-05 | Information related to noise complaint for Treetop Adventure Park in Cumberland State Forest. | 24/05/2017 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2017-03 | Maps showing retained hollow bearing and recruitment trees within Styx River State Forest compartments 523, 524, 525, 526 and 527. | 31/05/2017 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2017-02 | Correspondence and records in relation to certain fish species and aquatic habitat assessment reports for certain State forest compartments. | 20/06/2017 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2017-01 | The monthly volumes of hardwood sawlogs supplied from Crown-timber lands within South Coast State forest. The average royalty, harvest cost and haulage cost for the associated sawlogs. | 03/04/2017 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
Disclosure log 2016
| Reference | Information Released | Date of decision | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| GIPA2016-14 | The annual volumes of hardwood and Alpine Ash woods supplied as part of each Wood Supply Agreement, from Crown-timber lands within Eden, South Coast and Tumut regions from 2014 – 2016. | 20/01/2017 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2016-13 | Correspondence since April 2015 between the Department of Industry and companies that have not yet paid rent associated with the use of State forests on which telecommunications towers are located. | 27/01/2017 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2016-12 | Annual volumes of North Coast hardwood logs supplied since 2009, on-sold volumes and plantation supply volumes. | 22/12/2016 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2016-10 | Papers relating to any assistance sought, offered or provided to the owners of the Eden woodchip mill, Allied Natural Wood Exports.Costs and volumes of logs sought from areas now declared as flora reserves and the delivery costs from Murrah Flora Reserves. | 13/12/2016 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2016-07 | Boral WSA with State forests signed March 1999. | 27/09/2016 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2016-06 | Policy related correspondence between Forestry Corporation and the EPA from 2007 regarding Single Tree Selection (STS), the IFOA definition, silvicultural prescriptions and logging intensity. | 20/09/2016 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2016-05 | The current upper north east forestry region schedule of operations in digital format. | 18/07/2016 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2016-5A | Deeds of variation of amendments affecting the Wood Supply Agreement in the South Coast between Forestry Corporation and Co Limited (Boral Timber Division) and the State of NSW. | 16/09/2016 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2016-04 | Copies of Deeds of Assignment, Deeds of Variation and amendments affecting the Supply Agreement for pulpwood in Eden and South Coast Sub Region with Harris-Diashowa Pty Ltd and the State of NSW. | 16/09/2016 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
Disclosure log 2015
| Reference | Information Released | Date of decision | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| GIPA2014-11 | Information regarding wombats and harvesting in Glenbog State Forest | 08/01/2015 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2014-12 | Communication between Forestry Corporation and the Environment Protection Authority regarding cable logging | 16/01/2015 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2015-02 | Permits issued to Wild Horizons for Penrose for sporting events from 2005-14 | 06/03/2015 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2015-03 | Annual timber volumes for north coast | 21/02/2015 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2015-04 | Compensation Agreement between Forestry Corporation, Ashton Coal 2, ICRA MC and J-Power Australia | 9/03/2015 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2015-05 | No records found for removal of volume products in Styx River State Forest as harvesting did not take place | 9/03/2015 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2015-06 | Information on aerial harvesting spray, contractors involved and costs | 16/06/2015 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2015-07 | Types, quantity, costs of chemicals used for crops for weed management | 22/06/2015 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2015-08 | Telecommunication infrastructure permit in State Forests | 14/08/2015 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2015-09 | Records of 2015 North Coast timber volumes | 7/10/2015 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2015-11 | Records of Final Owl Landscape exclusions, area calculations and amendments for Planning units in North East Region | 10/11/2015 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2015-12 | Review of environmental factors for recreation and tourist permits | 9/11/2015 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2015-13 | CSO expenditure from FY13 to FY16 | 10/11/2015 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2015-14 | Correspondence between Forestry Corporation and the NSW Department of Industry about Question on Notice, regarding CSO | 20/11/2015 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2015-15 | Records detailing BMAD aerial survey and Woodenbong trial results | 1/12/2015 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
Disclosure log 2014
| Reference | Information released | Date of decision | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| GIPA2014-01 | Access agreements with Whitehaven Coal in Leard State Forest | 17/02/2014 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2014-03 | Information related to the closure of Leard State Forest | 05/03/2014 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2014-04 | Information related to the closure of Leard and Jacks Creek State Forest | 04/04/2014 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2014-05 | Information related to the transfer of parts of Ben Bullen SF to Gardens of Stone National Park in 1993-94 | 28/04/2014 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2014-06 | Information related to closure of Leard and Pilliga State forests | 26/06/2014 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2014-08 | Information regarding harvesting in Styx River State Forest since 2010 | 06/07/2014 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2014-09 | Volumes of various categories of hardwood logs supplied under agreements from FY10-FY14 | 15/08/2014 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| GIPA2014-10 | Records of logging activities and commercial timber assessments for Leard State Forest | 07/10/2014 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
Disclosure log 2013
| Reference | Information released | Date of decision | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013F-5 | Correspondence between Forestry Corporation of NSW and Minister for Primary Industries re re-declaration of hunting areas | 2/05/2013 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| 2013F-10 | Southern Region harvesting maps 2003-2013 | 02/07/2013 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
| 2013F-15 | Information relating to hunting in State forests and the risk assessment undertaken | 12/12/2013 | By contacting Forestry Corporation |
Proactive release
Forestry Corporation will proactively release as much information as possible. Sometimes this may not be possible where the information concerns another party's affairs or there is an overriding public interest against public disclosure of the information.
Informal release
You can also ask for specific information (including your personal information) on an informal basis. Consider this option if no third party personal information is involved.
Formal release
This is a last resort. You should first see what information is publicly available or will be made available. However, there may be public interest reasons why the information may not be released informally, or a third party may need to be consulted, in which case a formal application should be made.
GIPA applications can be downloaded here. Questions about making a GIPA application or other enquiries about GIPA can be made at GIPA@fcnsw.com.au.
For more information on how to access information, please see the Access information held by FCNSW.
Appendix 1
Information not publicly available
The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 requires all agencies to make available, free of charge on their websites, their open access information.
However, there is an overriding obligation under the Act not to publish any specific 'open access information' if there is an overriding public interest against disclosure of that particular information.
Whenever it is decided that particular 'open access information' should not be publicly available, a record of the decision is made and listed below.
Compliance and regulatory matters
There is considered to be an overriding public interest against disclosing policy documents concerning some compliance and regulatory guidelines, functions and activities. A redacted version may be available where sensitive information can be excluded without compromising the integrity or understanding of the document.
Sensitive information may, for example, be thresholds for escalation of sanctions from warning to infringement notice or court appearance. If this information was disclosed it may lead to multiple consecutive offences by the same offender at levels just under the designated threshold. Similarly, information on inspection planning activities may allow offenders to avoid detection.