The Australian plantation estate hasn’t grown for over a decade due to poor Government policies, which effectively were blockers to plantation investment. Today, Timber Queensland CEO, Mick Stephens explains the important promises made by both major parties in the lead up to this Federal Election, to remove the all important ‘water rule’ under the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) given its impact on stifling new plantation investment and denying access to carbon markets. Mick explains that given the critical importance of removing the water rule as a perverse barrier to plantation investment, the industry must hold the next Australian Government to account on implementation soon after the election.