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

I reject the underlying assumption that these people are not eminent people. Professor Jonathan West has been engaged in a consultation process with the Tasmanian statement of principles signatories on appropriately qualified persons to be part of the independent verification group appointed by Tasmania and the Australian government to verify areas of high conservation value and make recommendations about rescheduling and wood supply. So at the outset I reject the point that is being made by those opposite. They are ill-informed. These people are eminently qualified to undertake this work. Their work is essential and critical to ensuring that rescheduling, which, as I indicated, would occur in the 430,000 hectares during the independent verification process, will be reviewed in the available time as soon as the parties— (Time expired)