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

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Ludwig. Minister, is it true that clause 25 of the Tasmanian Forests Intergovernmental Agreement requires that the Tasmanian government 'immediately place' 430,000 hectares of native forests into informal reserves in which there is to be no logging? If so, what action has the federal government taken to stop Tasmania's blatant breaching of the intergovernmental agreement by its ongoing logging within the 430,000 hectares?

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

I thank Senator Milne for her question. Of course, the Tasmanian forestry industry is, as recognised, undergoing a restructuring and reshaping brought about by several key events and circumstances, which is about a decline in the traditional market and an agreement between environmental NGOs, forestry industry organisations and the CFMEU; the Tasmanian Forests Statement of Principles; and of course Gunns Ltd's commercial decision to withdraw from native forest logging.

In response to these, the intergovernmental agreement between Tasmania and the Australian government was signed by the Prime Minister and Premier Giddings in Hobart on 7 August 2011. It provided a $276 million agreement aimed to secure jobs; diversify the economic base for Tasmania; ensure, particularly in relation to the specific issue that Senator Milne has raised, the ongoing sustainability of the forest industry; and achieve environmental outcomes. To that end the intergovernmental agreement does respond to changes in the industry; it is not driving changes in the industry. One of important parts is the independent verification group, convened by Professor Jonathan West, who is assessing the conservation values of the ENGO and nominated 572,000 hectares and assessed reserve areas compatible with good supply guarantees to determine the area of high-conservation-value forests to be given legislative protection through inclusion in formal reserves. So this is the process that is currently being undertaken. Where harvesting work has already begun in specific coupes within the nominated 430,000 hectares, rescheduling will occur as soon as practicable, as a list of coupes that will be harvested will be agreed by the government and statement signatories. (Time expired)

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

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Thank you, Minister, for your answer. I want to follow up on what you said just a moment ago, because you repeated what you said yesterday, which was: 'A list of coupes that will be harvested will be agreed to by the government.' Are these coupes to be within the 430,000 hectares of informal reserves? Is it true that clause 25 prohibits that logging within the 430,000 hectares or are you going to renegotiate the intergovernmental agreement to allow them to continue to log within the 430,000 hectares?

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

I thank Senator Milne for her first supplementary question. To be clear: on 21 August 2011 Forestry Tasmania wrote to the Tasmanian and Australian governments advising that there were 41 coupes within the immediate protected area, which it believed are the minimum necessary to meet contractual agreements within economic constraints while respecting legislative and technical requirements including the Forest Practice Code. In accordance with the requirements of the Tasmanian Forests Intergovernmental Agreement, the IGA, the independent expert forest schedulers were appointed to determine what harvesting work is currently occurring in coupes within the nominated 430,000-hectare area nominated for conservation—that is, within that area—and whether there are practical alternative coupes outside the 430,000-hectare area for meeting these contractual wood-supply requirements.

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

Thank you for the answer. Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. We are still not getting to the heart of clause 25. The issue here is: clause 27 requires compensation to be paid for stopping the logging in those protected areas. What have you done to invoke clause 27 and pay people to stop logging in those areas, when clause 25 clearly prohibits that logging continuing?

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

I thank Senator Milne for her second supplementary question. As I was saying, the Tasmanian Forests Intergovernmental Agreement provides for the independent expert forest schedulers, who were appointed to determine which harvesting work is currently occurring within those coupes—that is, within the 430,000-hectare area nominated for conservation—and the contractual wood supply that is required to be met, and whether there are practical alternative coupes outside the 430,000-hectare area for meeting those contractual wood-supply requirements. Initial advice prepared by the two independent expert schedulers was presented to government and signatories on 13 October 2011. Following consideration of that advice, signatories have requested further information from the independent expert schedulers to clarify and expand on a number of elements— (Time expired)