Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Much of that will fall outside of my portfolio, but I will take it on notice and see if I can provide a response. The EM itself explains the range of bilateral cooperation that this department has—Australia has signed bilateral agreements with China, Indonesia and PNG which include cooperation arrangements for combating illegal logging and promoting sustainable forest management. The government is seeking to strengthen the current level of cooperation with Indonesia to combat illegal logging, and has arrangements in place to work with Malaysia in this policy area. It has engaged in discussions to formalise cooperation with Vietnam and New Zealand on similar issues.

So work is being undertaken on that and also on ensuring those relationships to combat illegally logged timber are strengthened. But I do want to take the specific issue on notice. I think it would be an error for me to venture there without getting advice.