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

The importer can use a certification scheme as part of due diligence or in satisfaction of due diligence. But, again, they are audited and looked at to see whether or not they are a true reflection of what occurs. So, again, it is an area where, at face value, you would say it would satisfy due diligence. That is why you have an auditing and compliance system in place—to ensure that it is a legitimate certification, that certified documents are used, that the chain is there and that all of the requirements are met. It is not about us projecting into other countries to examine their systems. It is about ensuring the importer at the border has undertaken the requisite due diligence for the timber to be allowed to be imported into Australia.

In dealing with Senator Xenophon's broad question, again, I will narrow it to this: it is about ensuring we have a due diligence process in place to deal with the importation of illegally logged timber at the border. That is the nub of the issue. As to what happens in particular countries, I am sure you can ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs about our broad engagement with a range of countries across the globe. But the interest here is about minimising the importation of illegally logged timber, utilising a risk framework with due diligence placed on the importer—that is, the Australian importer—to ensure that they have taken the necessary steps to ensure that the timber is not illegally logged.