The RFAs are 20 year agreements. They establish the framework for the management of forests within the Victorian RFA regions. The Victorian and Commonwealth Governments committed to ensuring the RFAs are durable and that the obligations and commitments that they contain are delivered to ensure effective conservation, forest management and forest industry outcomes.

The RFAs are reviewed every 5 years. The 5 yearly review is conducted by an independent reviewer, provides an assessment of progress made against the RFAs and includes:

  • the extent to which milestones and obligations have been met, including the management of the National Estate
  • the results of monitoring of sustainability indicators
  • invited public comment on the performance of the Agreement

The findings of the review are provided to both the Victorian and Australian governments, who produce a joint response.

Under the terms of the Victorian RFAs, the review does not open up the RFAs to re-negotiation, however following the completion of the review the Parties may agree to minor modifications to the RFAs to incorporate the outcomes of the review.

Third (most recent) review of Victoria's RFAs

The most recent review of the Victorian RFAs formally commenced in May 2016 upon signing of a scoping agreement for the review by the Victorian Government and Commonwealth of Australia, enabling the five Victorian RFAs to be reviewed simultaneously.

The Report on Progress with Implementation of the Victorian Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs) was released in November 2017.

Mr Graham Wilkinson of Tasmania, was appointed to review the progress of performance against the milestones, commitments and obligations of the Victorian RFAs for the period 2009‑2014.

Mr Wilkinson provided the Australian and Victorian governments with his report, Independent review of the Report on progress with implementation of the Victorian Regional Forest Agreements: Period 3 – 2009-2014. The report includes consideration of the implementation report, public submissions received during the consultation period and other resources. The independent review was completed in November 2017.

The Independent Review provided 14 recommendations for the Australian and Victorian governments to consider in the ongoing implementation of the five Victorian RFA’s.

The Australian and Victorian governments responded to the Independent Review’s 14 recommendations in Joint Australian and Victorian Government Response to the ‘Independent Review of the Report on Progress with Implementation of the Victorian Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs): Period 3 – 2009-2014’.

The reponse was tabled in the Australian Parliament on 18 June 2018.

First and Second (combined) reviews of Victoria's RFAs

The combined first and second five-yearly review formally commenced in September 2009 upon signing of a scoping agreement for the review by the Victorian Government and Commonwealth of Australia (the Parties).

The Scoping Agreement provided for the five Victorian RFAs to be reviewed simultaneously. The review covered two periods: the first from the date the RFAs were signed to 30 June 2004 and the second from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2009, and satisfied the requirement to undertake a review of the performance of the RFAs for the first two five year periods.

As part of the review process, members of the public had an opportunity to comment on the Draft Report on Progress with Implementation of the Victorian Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs).

The Victorian and Australian governments appointed Ms Leanne Wallace of New South Wales as the Independent Reviewer. Ms Wallace considered the Draft Report on Progress with Implementation of the Victorian Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs) and all public submissions that were received by the Parties during the public consultation period in preparing her report.

The Independent Review on Progress with Implementation of the Victorian Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs) was tabled in the Australian Parliament on 28 September 2010.

The Parties agreed to a joint government response to the recommendations made in the Independent Reviewer's report, and the Final Report on Progress with Implementation of the Victorian Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs).

The Joint Australian and Victorian Government Response to the Independent Review on Progress with Implementation of the Victorian Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs) was tabled in the Australian Parliament on 16 April 2015.

A status update on the progress to implement the actions in this joint government response to the Independent Review is provided in the third five-yearly review implementation report (above).

Final Report on Progress with Implementation of the Victorian Regional Forest Agreements.

The release of these documents marked the conclusion of the first and second five yearly reviews of Victoria's RFAs.

Page last updated: 01/04/20