Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

In relation to Senator Waters' rather ridiculous question, the minister consults widely and with many people all of the time. To be frank, I did not really think the question deserved the time of the Senate. In relation to Senate Rice's question, we are not talking about a defined geographic area; the test is in the value of a particular parcel of products. That is why the process chain tests are in place that are so tied around what the Clean Energy Regulator is able to audit and able to monitor exactly the location it has come from. Senate Rice seems to be asking: if the price of energy were to be as low as the price of woodchips relative to the other purpose, would that possibly meet the higher value test? Senator Rice, that is a hypothetical. The test is around the value so, yes, the principal purpose of the harvesting activity needs to be of a demonstrably higher value, needs to meet the higher value, compared with any other purpose—in particular, energy generation—in this regard.