Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to incorporate answers to questions taken on notice from Senator Milne last week.

Leave granted.

The answers read as follows—

The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has provided the following answers to Senator Milne's questions regarding the Tarkine Wilderness taken on notice on Tuesday 13 September 2011:

Question 1:

What was its [the Australian Heritage Council] recommendation and can the minister give an unequivocal guarantee that the Australian Heritage Commission assessment was restricted to the natural and cultural values of the area, as is required by law?

Answer:

The Australian Heritage Council is yet to provide its final assessment of the natural and cultural values of The Tarkine against the National Heritage criteria.

Question 2:

Has Minister Burke met with Tasmanian Ministers Green and Wightman, who are opposing heritage listing and advocating the destruction of the national heritage values of the Tarkine to facilitate Venture Minerals' tin mine at Mount Lindsay? If so, when did he meet them? If not, is such a meeting scheduled and will Minister Burke explain to these ministers that his responsibility is to protect areas of outstanding heritage significance to Australia, not facilitate their destruction?

Answer:

Minister Burke spoke to Minister Wightman on Friday (16 September 2011) at the Environment Ministers' meeting and they agreed to discuss the issue further.

Question 3:

Will the federal government now give consideration to nominating the Tarkine for World Heritage listing so that it can be permanently protected?

Answer:

The National Heritage values of The Tarkine are yet to be established. It would be premature to consider nominating The Tarkine for World Heritage consideration until the National Heritage process has been completed.