Kerry Nettle (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation, Senator Abetz. Has the government conducted a study of the climate change impact of the logging of native forest in south-eastern New South Wales, in particular for the supply of Eden woodchip mill for export woodchipping?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This may be a revelation to the Australian Greens, but forestry is the only carbon positive sector of the Australian economy. Therefore, if anybody is genuinely concerned about getting greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere, about cleaning up the atmosphere, they should be loud spruikers in support of forestry—forestry that is done on a sustainable basis, where every tree that is harvested is replanted and indeed more than replaced, such as we do in Australia today.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You don’t!

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And we get this ridiculous interjection suggesting that we do not. The simple fact is that the forest estate in Australia has grown and is continuing to grow. But, of course, inconvenient facts will never get in the way of propaganda from those sitting in the top corner.

We as an Australian government are very concerned to ensure that we have a very good, sustainable forestry sector within this country.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Bob Brown interjecting—

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, you always know when the Greens are on dodgy ground, because Senator Brown does not want to listen to the facts and he will insist on his inane interjections. The simple fact is that the overwhelming evidence from all the scientists is that forestry is carbon positive for our environment. We do forestry like no other country in the world. My challenge to the Australian Greens has continually been: if you think we do not do forestry well in Australia, tell me one country that does it better. And there is a deafening silence—as there always is—because they know there is no country that does it better than Australia, and when you hit them with the facts, you get a point of order—

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. The question from Senator Nettle was about the logging of native forests in south-east New South Wales. That question is not being addressed and has not been answered by the minister. Has the survey been done or not? If so, what is the result?

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, you have 1½ minutes to conclude your answer. I remind you of the question.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the Australian Greens know, within Australia we have generic studies that tell us what the facts are. You can then ask the question: what if we harvest this particular block; have you done a specific study on this particular block? Chances are that we have not. But we inform ourselves of all the body of science that is out there that tells us how good forestry is for the environment. Not only does it clean up the atmosphere; it provides a renewable resource that is recyclable and, at the end, biodegradable.

If we do not use wood products, we use plastic and we use aluminium. That is why certain companies stand on the sidelines cheering the Australian Greens when they denigrate the forest industry. It is because they know it is good for the petrochemical industry and the carbon polluting industries of this world when people such as the Australian Greens so perversely oppose forestry. We have done numerous studies indicating the environmental benefits of forestry right throughout Australia. We can play the funny games of asking, ‘Have you done it in this block or that block?’ The simple fact is that we know that forestry is good for the environment and is good for the economy. What is more, it provides a genuine renewable resource and genuine jobs. (Time expired)

Kerry Nettle (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Is the government aware of studies by Dr James Watson which show that the logging of 1,000 hectares of forest releases approximately one million tonnes of greenhouse gas pollution into the atmosphere? This means that the logging of 18,000 hectares of native forest in south-east New South Wales and north-east Victoria contributes 18 million tonnes of greenhouse gas pollution into the atmosphere each year. Is that not 22 times the amount saved by banning incandescent light globes and equivalent to 3.6 million cars on the road? Will the government commit to ending the logging of native forests in south-east New South Wales as part of a strategy to prevent dangerous climate change?

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Give us your figures.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, I can give the honourable senator more figures. That is based on the indication that there would not be any replanting. The simple fact is that forestry is a sustainable cycle. You chop down a tree, you replant it and any carbon that escapes is then drawn back out by the new growing tree. But of course carbon sinks are created when that wood is used for buildings, furniture, paper et cetera. If the Greens are concerned about the few thousand tonnes from south-east New South Wales native forest harvesting, why were they so deathly silent about the 40 million tonnes that escaped into the atmosphere from bushfires in Victoria this summer as a result of the deliberate Greens policy of locking up and forgetting our national parks? The statistics continually speak against the Australian Greens, and they know it. It is about time they took a reality check. The only policy that the Greens seem to have is that you will get rid of greenhouse gases through— (Time expired)