Over the past month, FICA has been actively engaged in a renewed dialogue with Gisborne District Council (GDC) regarding standing consents, which continue to place unsustainable pressure on contractors and forest owners.
GDC has agreed to reopen consultation on seven of the most contentious conditions. This includes the zero discharge requirement for sediment and woody debris, and the impractical 15m² cut-over rule—both of which have been cited as key contributors to contractor insolvency and operational shutdowns.
Contractors are still absorbing the cost of compliance work they are not being fully compensated for. If nothing changes in the next six months, crews will be lost—either through financial collapse or due to forest owners lacking viable consents.
FICA continues to advocate for balance between environmental protection, health and safety, and productivity. While GDC has stated that forest companies can apply for discharge consents and leave more woody debris on cut-over, industry feedback suggests these options are not being pursued.
GDC has initiated one-on-one meetings with contractors to better understand the real-world impacts of these conditions. FICA has also met with GDC’s consent planning team.
The Eastland Wood Council (EWC) has taken a firm stance, refusing one-on-one meetings with GDC until strategic leadership is engaged. On 11 August, EWC met with the Tairāwhiti Mayor, GDC CEO Nadine Thatcher-Swann, councillors, and senior staff, alongside FICA and Eastland Port CEO Andrew Gaddum.
EWC Chair Julian Kohn relayed that the current standing consents are inoperable, and inaction is itself a risk. Harvest volumes are declining, tree sizes are increasing, and uncertainty is stifling downstream investment in wood processing. The economic consequences for the region are significant.
“We don’t have another 18 months to sort this out—it needs to be sorted now,” says FICA CEO Rowan Struthers.
A working group comprising GDC, sector leaders and legal representation if required has been proposed. Crucially, this group must have the mandate to make binding decisions. The proposal was supported by the Government representative present, and GDC CEO Nadine Thatcher-Swann have confirmed they are prepared to put together a tight group three representatives from Industry and three from the GDC.
FICA will continue to advocate for contractors. If you are a contractor affected by these conditions or wish to contribute to the working group discussions, please contact Rowan.
Site Visit: Aratu
Rowan recently visited Aratu Forestry’s Okiwa Forest, hosted by Trevor Temoana, Harvest and Roading Manager. The visit aimed to deepen understanding of the operational constraints faced by harvesting crews and the standards being pursued under current consent conditions.
The standout issue at Okiwa is the significant volume of large diameter windblow scattered across the forest. Under GDC’s consent/direction, this material currently has to be extracted, carted to skids, and burnt—regardless of its natural origin.
This requirement, while environmentally motivated, imposes a heavy operational and financial burden.
(Pictured: Rowan and Dan Herries, Lumberjack Logging, survey current setting)
