Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—The government welcomes and will consider the recent Australian National University research on carbon storage in intact natural forests in south-eastern Australia. The government considers that native forests provide a valuable store for carbon as well as having many other values. They provide ecological services such as biodiversity and habitat and contribute to both the national economy and regional and local employment. The government is committed to domestic forest conservation through maintaining a robust system of regional forest agreements. The government reports on emissions from remaining forest land, including native forests converted into plantations, in its annual national inventory report, prepared in accordance with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The 2007 national inventory report is available at climatechange.gov.au. However, the government does not propose to discuss measures under consideration and therefore finds itself unable to support Senator Brown’s motion.