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

My question is also to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Ludwig, in his capacity as minister for forests. Yesterday the minister told the parliament that the government has not received any requests from Gunns for funding support in relation to the mill or its business structure. Can the minister give an assurance to the Senate that no money will be given to Gunns in relation to its mill or its business structure, including for severance payments for the hundreds of workers already facing the loss of their jobs or facing the loss of jobs in the future related to the forest agreement or otherwise?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a question that is asking for something which has not been done, and therefore it is, in one sense, a hypothetical question because, of course, the facts are not on the table. The government indicated quite clearly yesterday that we had not provided any assistance to Gunns. That position has not changed.

The government can say that it is committed to assisting the Tasmanian community to respond to the challenges facing the forest industry. As the Prime Minister acknowledged in December 2010, the signing of the statement of principles is a credit to those involved—that after decades of disagreement they have been able to start the process of working together to work through the complex problems and to forge a new consensus around the forest industry in Tasmania.

That statement of principles, of course, started with community and industry groups coming together. The Australian government, as I indicated yesterday, has appointed Mr Bill Kelty as independent facilitator to work with the parties to the statement of principles to develop a final agreement. We are not at that final agreement stage and the implementation plan that may go around it at this time.

Many of the questions that I know Senator Brown may wish to ask are not on the table at this point. What I cannot rule in or out is what the government may or may not do into the future. That is the hypothetical part of the question that I cannot answer. I can certainly take it on notice to see what further and better particulars I can find that may go to the issue. But the government continues those discussions and I welcome the signatories to the forest Tasmania agreement to continue working towards finalising an agreement— (Time expired)

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

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Is the government entertaining a nine-figure sum in relation to the forest agreement in Tasmania—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Continue, Senator Brown.

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

and can the minister tell the Senate what the outcome is in relation to the request by Ta Ann for a further 22,000 hectares of old growth forest, which is high-conservation forest, in Tasmania?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I literally could not hear the question over the noise from those opposite.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Bob Brown, the minister has indicated that he could not hear your question. Could you come a bit closer to the microphone and repeat the question?

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

I will, but since I am not going to shout, the—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not asking you to shout, Senator Bob Brown. If there is silence, it will assist Senator Brown in asking his question. Everyone is entitled, as you know, to be heard in silence.

An honourable senator: I can't hear Senator Brown either.

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

The question—

An opposition senator: He's mumbling!

An opposition senator: I'm having trouble hearing him!

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Reset the clock so that Senator Brown can ask his question. Give the courtesy that is required of all senators in this place. Senator Brown.

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

My question to the minister was whether Ta Ann was requiring an extra 22,000 hectares of high-conservation-value forest be taken out of conservation and handed across to it at this stage of the agreement and, if not, what the situation is relating to Ta Ann at this stage of the forest process talks.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I see it, Mr President, Senator Brown is asking me what part of the agreement the negotiations are up to in relation to Ta Ann and whether or not a particular—

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ludwig, Senator Bob Brown is on his feet. Senator Bob Brown.

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

Mr President, at this end of the chamber it is impossible to hear that answer due to the shouting out from the National Party and Liberal Party senators on my right.

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When there is silence, Senator Ludwig will continue.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I understand the question, it is asking for me to comment on or provide an answer in relation to where the state of the parties' negotiations are in relation to Ta Ann. I am not able to provide that. I am not sitting around the table doing the negotiations. What I can do, if that is accurate, is take that part of the question on notice and find out whether or not my department can provide any information about where the particular parties are up to in relation to the negotiations over the particular coupes and particular areas. Outside of that, I would encourage all of the parties to actually come to an agreement, because until such time as the parties do come to an agreement there is no agreement; there is no— (Time expired)

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

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. There are consultations in process and I am asking the minister about where those consultations are at. I ask the minister: is he aware of the highly-publicised sale by Gunns of its woodchip mill at Triabunna, the application by a consortium of loggers to buy that mill and an alternative application by Eco Resource Development to buy the mill? Will the minister ensure that no money from the forest agreement process flows to the logging entities—

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Your biggest donor! Why don't you declare that—$1.6 million?

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Continue, Senator Bob Brown. People should cease interjecting. It is disorderly. I will allow you to continue, Senator Brown.

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

Senator Abetz was venting his spleen about—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am asking you to continue your question—

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

I am responding—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not asking you to make a comment, Senator.

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

I am getting his comment on the record—

Senator Abetz interjecting—

And he continues—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brown, just continue your question.

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

When there is silence, I will.

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brown, I am asking you to continue the question. Those on my left! Senator Bob Brown, continue.

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

I ask about that consortium: has the government had any discussions about that? Will the government ensure that no money goes, through the forest agreement or in any other way from the public purse, into facilitating the purchase of that Triabunna woodchip mill?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Presi­dent. I will do my best in this respect. In relation to Triabunna, which is an export chip mill, on 14 June 2011 Gunns announced on the Australian Stock Exchange the sale of the Triabunna export woodchip facility. Media is reporting that the sale will be to a family-owned logging and haulage company, Aprin Logging.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Mr President, I say again that you are not at the end of this chamber. It is impossible to hear that answer and I ask that the minister say it again.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will ask the minister to continue but I would ask senators to respect the fact that there needs to be silence in the chamber.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In relation to Aprin Logging, Gunns further announced that the sale was conditional on satisfactory—

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Mr President, it continues. That answer cannot be heard at this end of the chamber, and I ask that you facilitate it being heard.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ludwig, continue.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Gunns further announced that the sale was conditional on satisfactory progress in the implementation of the Tasmanian Forests Statement of Principles. Whilst the principles have not been resolved, Senator Brown could hold that thought. Any commercial enterprise, of course, should be profitable in its own right. The government has not been approached regarding the sale or operation of the Triabunna mill, and everyone in the industry, and the government, wants to see an operating mill which would provide the best result for jobs in Tasmania. (Time expired)