Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

As I advised one of your colleagues earlier today, page 8 of the 18 pages of the offer document, which I have now tabled, indicates the government’s commitment to include conditions for forests earning forest credits to have adequate water entitlements and planning approvals. The detail of those is not in the legislation. That is a policy commitment which we would develop in consultation with the various sectors and stakeholders. I referenced in relation to the adequate water entitlement issues that this was consistent with the National Water Initiative commitments that states made in 2004.

While I am on my feet I will respond to a question I was asked about ongoing consultation in relation to the inclusion of the land sector. My advice is that to date consultation, particularly in relation to agriculture, has occurred through the Technical Options Development Group. I am advised that current members of that group are the NFF, AgForce, Dairy Australia, Meat and Livestock Australia, the Australian Meat Industry Council, the Grain Growers Association, the New South Wales Farmers Federation, the WA Farmers Federation, the Grains Research and Development Corporation and the South Australian Farmers Federation. It also includes the CSIRO, Queensland University of Technology, Australian Dairy Farmers, the Australian Farm Institute, Soil Carbon (Australia) Pty Ltd, BRI Research, the Cattle Council of Australia and the University of Melbourne.