FOREST GROWERS LEVY TRUST MEDIA RELEASE
28 February 2013
Voting opens in forest referendum
Polls in the Forest Voice referendum will be open from 1-29 March, a week longer than originally intended.
The organisers, the Forest Growers Levy Trust, say this will make voting more convenient for the many forest growers who
live in districts where on-line voting is not possible, because of difficulties with internet access.
Trust chair Geoff Thompson says that if the referendum is successful, a small levy on harvested logs will be used to
fund work that benefits all forest owners.
“Forestry is one of the few primary industries not to have a levy to fund research, bio-security surveillance,
communications, advocacy and product promotion. For an industry with more than 10,000 growers – the country’s third
largest export earner – this is long overdue.
“Growers who vote ‘yes’ will be voting to create a more profitable, better coordinated and fairer industry. I strongly
urge every eligible grower to have their say and register to vote.”
The referendum gives each owner of a qualified forest one vote that will be counted two ways, per head and by area of
forest. A dual majority is needed for the referendum to succeed.
In order to vote you need to own or represent the owner of a 'Qualifying Forest'. This is a plantation which has a stand
or stands of trees 10 or more years in age (planted before 1 March 2003), totalling at least four hectares in area.
This definition applies to all species grown for eventual harvest including wildings and regeneration of a planted stand
of trees. Christmas trees and trees grown for domestic firewood are not included.
“The 10-year cut-off ensures the right to vote is limited to those who are likely to pay the levy during its six-year
life,” says Mr Thompson.
Voter registration and voting is now open [subs: From 1 March]. Potential voters need to go to the Forest Voice website
or phone the organisers to check their eligibility and register as a voter.
Voting will now run until 29 March. Votes may be cast on the Forest Voice website or in the traditional way, on a ballot
paper which may be posted or faxed.
For details, visit www.forestvoice.org.nz
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