Forestry industry
Last Updated: 18 October 2019
Gain an understanding of the legal, operational and business issues relevant to the forestry industry.
The forestry industry includes:
- forestry gathering and growing activities
- logging activities - including logging, hewing, shaping, cutting or felling
You should also check our general business information for additional regulations and obligations relevant to your business. For further advice and assistance, contact your accountant, solicitor or business adviser. You may also wish to consult with an industry association or group for more information and advice on your industry.
Licences and permits
State or territory governments manage the licences and permits for the forestry industry.
The licences and permits you may need include:
- collecting, felling, transporting and burning timber or forests
- protecting forests and native plants
- protecting wildlife
- disposal of waste
- fire management and safety
- water usage or constructing a bore or well
- handling, storage and use of chemicals or dangerous substances
Search the Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS)
Find the licences and permits you need for your forestry business.
Taxation
The forestry industry have specific Goods and Services Tax (GST) measures. Know your GST obligations and register with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to ensure you can claim your GST credits.
Additional resources that detail tax measures for the forestry industry include:
- the ATO’s section on carbon sink forests which provide tax deductions for eligible forests
- the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources has information about tax offsets, deductions and concessions
Levies and charges
Levies and charges fund activities that benefit the industry such as:
- research and development
- marketing and promotion
The main levies that apply to the forestry industry include levies on:
- forest and wood products
- forest growers
Additional levies and charges apply if you import or export forestry products.
Employ people
If you employ staff, you need to comply with Australia’s national workplace laws specific to the forestry industry.
Workplace Health & Safety (WHS)
All businesses must comply with general occupational health and safety regulations. The forestry industry also has state specific WHS requirements. These include:
- safety standards for separation of activities
- safety standards for maintaining safe distances
- standards for occupational safety signage
- standards for protective clothing and equipment
- manual handling safety standards
- workplace noise management
- prevention of falls
- handling & storage of hazardous substances
Intellectual Property
The forestry industry and its businesses have access to protecting their general intellectual property. Other IP rights that may be relevant to the forestry industry include:
- Patents which protects inventions such as new machinery, new systems or new processes
- Plant Breeder's Rights which protects new plant varieties and grants exclusive rights to the plant breeder to use, sell and distribute the plant and receive royalties