Forest Management Act 2013

The Forest Manager may appoint any of its employees, any person employed by a body corporate involved in the forest industry, or any other person whom it regards as being suitably qualified, to be a timber classification officer for the purposes of classifying timber and other forest products on, or harvested from, permanent timber production zone land.

A person who is not an employee of the Forest Manager is to be appointed on such terms as the Forest Manager determines and specifies in the instrument of appointment.

A person appointed as a timber classification officer must perform such duties relating to the classification of timber and other forest products as the Forest Manager directs.

A person appointed as a timber classification officer does not incur any personal liability for an act done or purported or omitted to be done by the officer acting as such in good faith.

An employee or other person appointed as a timber classification officer may hold that appointment and perform the duties of a timber classification officer in conjunction with any other office or appointment held by that person.

Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, a State Service officer or State Service employee is not, without the prior approval of the Head of the State Service Agency in which the officer or employee is employed – capable of being appointed as a timber classification officer; or entitled to receive any remuneration or allowances in his or her capacity as a timber classification officer.

In any proceedings, a certificate purporting to be signed by a person authorised, in writing, by the Forest Manager and stating that a person named in the certificate is, or was at a particular time or during a particular period, a timber classification officer is admissible as evidence of the matter stated in the certificate.