A new portal that will provide free online access for the public to view forestry licensing application decisions has been launched by the Department of Agriculture.

The Forestry License Viewer (FLV) was announced by Minister of State in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Senator Pippa Hackett on Thursday.

“This portal will provide members of the public with easier online access to forestry licence applications and will, in time, provide a repository of information on forestry licences, both applications and decisions,” Minister Hackett said.

“The portal enhances public participation in decisions on forestry licences and it also continues my Department’s commitment to providing digital services to our customers.”

Phases

The portal will be rolled out in three phases.

  • Phase 1 will show high-level site information for all applications since 1 January 2018 and the status of those applications.
  • Phase 2 will be released shortly and will show application documentation on applications received from the date this phase goes live, including site assessments, reports and decisions.
  • Phase 3 is planned for early 2021 and will provide an online tool to make a submission on an application.

    • Alignment

    “I gave commitments in the debate on the recent Forestry Act that I would be working towards aligning the forestry licensing and other planning processes,” the Minister said.

    “This is a major step in meeting those commitments and ensuring transparency and it will undoubtedly enhance public participation in decisions on forestry planning. I’m certain that interested users will find it to be user-friendly and informative.”

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