Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Ludwig. In relation to the performance audit report of the $252 million in grants provided by the Commonwealth to Tasmania between 2005 and 2010 under the Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement, can the minister indicate when he received the performance audit report and whether he intends to make it public before the Commonwealth allocates any further funding to the forest industry and Forestry Tasmania in particular as part of the latest negotiation?

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

This is an issue that I know Senator Milne has been very interested in throughout the entire process. The government has been working, through Mr Bill Kelty, to facilitate the Tasmanian forest statement of principles, signed by the Tasmanian forestry industry bodies and the conservation groups.

This is an issue that Senator Milne is not asking about specifically, but her concerns clearly were raised during a prior period. My understanding is that it goes back prior to this government, to 2005, during the period—to use a broad term; I am happy to be corrected—that the industry assistance package was provided to the forests. Since that time there has also been a subsequent package, a contractors' package, which I think Senator Milne is not specifically asking about.

The audit report relates to the earlier measure. Certainly it is an area where this government continues to ensure that the programs delivered under either the prior government or the current government continue to be monitored to ensure that they provide value for money and maintain those relevant outcomes. In terms of when that report will be made available, Senator Milne, I will take that on notice. I understand you do have an interest in ensuring that report is made available at the earliest possible time. When that can be done, I am sure there will be very little impediment to making that performance audit available through the department, as these things should be.

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. The government has previously said that an independent performance audit report of the Commonwealth grants program would be finalised at the end of the first quarter of this year. Will the minister please indicate where this report is, when he received it and when it is going to be made public? Is he aware that Forestry Tasmania will be expecting to be the beneficiary of yet further grants as a result of the current program? Is the minister aware of its abysmal performance? Is he aware that, despite an injection of $147 million in Commonwealth funds— (Time expired)

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

I understand that Senator Milne may have had a little more to come in the question. I may need to take some of that on notice to ensure that we get a full reply to Senator Milne, dealing with the when and where issue. I already indicated that should the performance report be not too far away it will be able to made public, but I will certainly move to that. The only caveat I would place on that of course is whether or not it contains any commercial-in-confidence material—but that can always be dealt with in the usual course of events.

I want to indicate that, in terms of some of the language that Senator Milne used around the description of the particular industry bodies, I do not accept her characterisation and nor do I accept that I would describe them in that way. So I reject that imputation. (Time expired)

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I invite the minister to say what else you would say other than 'abysmal' about the performance of Forestry Tasmania, which has received $147 million in Commonwealth funds and paid only $3.17 million in dividends and $3.5 million in taxes—costing the taxpayer $138.5 million over five years. Further, is the minister aware that the Auditor-General in Tasmania said that he had real concerns about Forestry Tasmania's longer term liquidity?

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

I do not have a specific brief in relation to that report of the Auditor-General of Tasmania. I will take an interest in that to ensure that the department provides me with that advice in relation to that Auditor-General report, because it will be helpful to inform me as we move forward in this industry, particularly around the Tasmanian forest principles agreement that is currently being dealt with and of course how we then move forward with the support which was already provided for forest contractors.

Again I indicate to Senator Milne that I do not accept the characterisation of her question. Nevertheless, with respect to that part which I have not managed to get to, I will certainly take on notice to provide an answer to the first part of the question that was asked.