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

by leave—During question time today I advised Senator Macdonald that the government had not received a proposal from the Queensland government to consider grazing in Queensland national parks in the context of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. What I said at the time was accurate.

Since that time I have been advised that a letter was sent by the Queensland minister for national parks, Mr Dickson, to my electorate office in Brisbane. I am also advised that the date recorded for receipt of that letter is today, 16 May 2013. My ministerial and electorate office staff have searched fax machines and emails and have not found a copy sent by fax or email. I note that a letter was addressed to Mr Burke at a post office box in Roselands in New South Wales. At the end of question time Mr Burke's office advised my office that the proposal had not been received at his post office box, or by fax or email at either his electorate or parliamentary office.

In the normal course of events, the letter having been sent to my electorate office in Brisbane today, it would have been sent overnight for tomorrow. In view of the fact that I wanted to make sure that the record was accurate I asked for leave to make a statement—in the normal course of events I would have brought it to the attention of the Senate after the next question time but that will not be for some time. I thank the Senate for the opportunity to clarify the record.