Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have further information in response to questions asked by Senator Milne and Senator Fielding on 11 March. I seek leave to have both answers incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The answers read as follows—

Further information in response to Senator Fielding’s question during Senate question time on 11th March 2010 to the Minister representing the Minister for Education, Senator Kim Carr.

Senator FIELDING:

My question is directed to Senator Carr, the Minister representing the Minister for Education. Given the government’s so-called Building the Education Revolution is supposed to be in full swing, can the minister explain why the government has been so incompetent in delivering this program and why Sandringham East Primary School is still waiting for construction to begin on its six classrooms, despite all plans having been drawn up and all approvals having been granted by the government in June last year? Given that construction will now take place during the school year, instead of during school holidays, does the government actually give a stuff about how this is going to disrupt this school and its classes?

Sandringham East Primary School is receiving $2.5 million under Primary Schools for the 21’ Century for a new library and $150,000 under National School Pride for refurbishments.

Tender arrangements for the works at Cheltenham Primary School are managed by the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD).

DEECD has advised that due to the robust market place in the construction industry in Victoria, the Department is continuing to work on securing the best value for money for this project.

DEECD is working closely with the school community to address their concerns.

Senator FIELDING—Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Given that Cheltenham Primary School is also waiting for the government to get its act together, can the minister confirm that it is not just a coincidence that these massive delays in construction at Sandringham East Primary School and Cheltenham Primary School have occurred to schools in a safe Liberal seat?

Cheltenham Primary School is receiving $2.5 million under Primary Schools for the 21” Century for a new library and $150,000 under National School Pride for refurbishments.

Tender arrangements for the works at Cheltenham Primary School are managed by the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD).

DEECD has advised that due to the robust market place in the construction industry in Victoria, the Department is continuing to work on securing the best value for money for this project.

DEECD is working closely with the school community to address their concerns.

Further information in response to Senator Milne’s question during Senate question time on 11th March 2010 to the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Nick Sherry.

Milne; Has the Rudd government had any talks with, or given any undertakings to, Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett or any member of the Labor government in Tasmania about immediately renegotiating the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement to provide for logging of old-growth forests in Tasmania until at least 2037-20 years beyond the end of the current agreement due to end in 2017?

On 19 January 2010 The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry —The Hon. Tony Burke MP wrote to The Hon. David Llewellyn stating:

“I look forward to working with you to implement the actions outlined in the response and to our continued cooperation in overseeing the Tasmanian RFA. This will include working on various options for the processes and arrangements for the future of the RFA beyond its end date in 2017.”

The “response” referred to is the Joint Government Response to the second five year review of the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement.

Longer term, the government is committed to RFAs as the primary mechanism for sustainable forestry management and will engage in talks with each of relevant states on renewing RFAs, as they approach their 20 year life period.

Milne: I would like to now ask the minister whether the Rudd government supports the ongoing logging of old-growth forests in Tasmania until 2037, and are they open to renegotiating the regional forest agreement to deliver on that promise?

In the Ministerial Statement, Preparing our forest industries for the future,

of 24 June 2009 by The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry—The Hon. Tony Burke MP stated:

“Mr Speaker, the Rudd government remains fully committed to RFAs as the prima°, mechanism to sustain jobs and support industry, to ensure high conservation values, and for the protection of biodiversity and threatened species”.

As stated, the government will engage in talks with each of relevant states on renewing RFAs, as they approach their 20 year life period.

In the response to the review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, by Dr Allan Hawk; Minister Garrett said in his media release, 21 December 2009, that:

“Additionally, the Government notes the concerns raised by Dr Hawke in recommendation 38 in the review regarding the current mechanisms in the Act for forest management under Regional Forest Agreements (121724,3), and is committed to working with state governments to improve the review, audit and monitoring arrangements for RFAs, including their timely completion, clearer assessment of performance against environmental and sustainable forestry outcomes, and a greater focus on compliance of RFAs in the intervening years”.

“The Government intends to use upcoming RFA renewal processes to improve the achievement of these outcomes in future RFAs “.

Milne: Can the minister tell the Senate whether Premier Bartlett has misled the Tasmanian people by saying that he would immediately renegotiate the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement to provide for logging of old-growth forests in Tasmania for another 20 years if there had been no talks with the Commonwealth—or have there been talks with the Commonwealth?

The Minister is not in a position to comment on this.

Sherry: Nevertheless, I cannot recall him mentioning forestry on that occasion. I will check—I will have a look at other public statements he has made. I am aware, obviously, that there is a Tasmanian state election on. I will come back to you.

The Tasmanian Premier, David Bartlett, did not discuss forestry in his Labor Campaign Launch speech of 8 March 2010

(httn://www.teambartlett.com.au/news/20 I0/03/1abor-cammign-latinch-march-201 0).

In a media release on 26 February 2010 Premier Bartlett is quoted:

“Labor will immediately negotiate with the Australian Government to renew the RFA and to provide industry with ongoing long term security through the provision of rolling agreement renewals following each five year review of the RFA. A further twenty-year evergreen RFA will provide industry with the security necessary for ongoing investment generating wealth for the Tasmanian economy into the future”