Where to from here?
The signing of the RFAs boosts the process of continuous improvement in forest use and management in Australia.
Each RFA contains commitments and milestones for the Commonwealth and State governments. Much of the task of putting the RFAs into practice lies with State governments, although the Commonwealth has a number of commitments under the agreements.
The RFAs provide for annual reporting by each of the parties against their RFA commitments and obligations for the first five years of the agreements. The Commonwealth and the States will also review their performances against each RFA every five years in consultation with the community.
They will use the Montreal Indicators - internationally accepted criteria and indicators for measuring the sustainability of forest management - to help measure outcomes. The Commonwealth and the States, in consultation with the community, will determine the indicators most relevant to each RFA.