An Open Letter to the Premier and WA Government
The time is now.
Dear Premier,
Every ten years, Western Australia has the chance to reset the direction of our wild sandalwood industry - an industry built around a unique, highly prized, and deeply valued tree grown nowhere else in the world. That moment is now. For Aboriginal people, this sandalwood is part of our Dreaming, our culture, our Ceremony, and our deep responsibility to Country.
Traditional Owners, as identified below, have cared for wild sandalwood for thousands of generations, and we are asking for the opportunity to continue that work and a fairer share in the industry's economic future.
Western Australia's wild sandalwood has declined by almost 90 percent and is now listed on the IUCN Red List of globally threatened species. Meanwhile 40,000 mature trees, many more than a century old, are still harvested each year, mostly by the Forest Products Commission (FPC).
The most effective way to ensure the future of the wild sandalwood industry is to return the wild harvest allocation to Aboriginal custodians, whose careful, culturally grounded practices have sustained sandalwood and can deliver real benefits to regional communities.
Since the early 2000s, State Governments and the FPC have been positioning themselves to transition out of the wild sandalwood industry once private investment increased and the capacity of the plantation industry could meet demand. We are now at that point.
Private sandalwood plantations have significantly increased in capacity, while Aboriginal businesses have become established in the wild sandalwood industry. Despite this, the FPC remains the dominant competitor, undercutting Aboriginal businesses while recording regular losses.
This outdated and ineffective model holds Aboriginal enterprises back, discourages further private investment and prevents the industry from maturing.
We're asking for:
Aboriginal led businesses to gain a majority share of the wild harvest quota;
A reduced overall quota; and
A clear, time bound roadmap to transition the FPC out of the wild sandalwood industry to enable Traditional Owners and WA business to finally grow into the space it leaves behind.
This decision will shape the next decade. Now is the time to empower communities, modernise the sector, and back local business, unlocking sustainable regional opportunities for all, including Aboriginal custodians. As an industry, we are crying out for change.
Premier, the future of sandalwood and our people is in your hands.
Signed:
Darren Farmer - Director, Dutjahn Sandalwood Oils
Grant Pronk - Australian Sandalwood Network
Clinton Farmer - Chair, Kutkabubba Aboriginal Corporation
Keith Drage - Managing Director, Silvalis
Harvey Murray - Chairperson, Yilka Heritage and Land Care
