Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 4:09:47 to 4:11:15
Clarification of the department's role in supporting the RFA Act during bilateral negotiations led by the environment department.
Topics: Forestry, Land management
Speakers: Guy Bursle, Senator Vanessa Bleyer
>> Okay. So um final question. So I'm aware of course that um your department is involved in the bilateral agreement process because um you represent forestry uh and so can you just clarify for me then exactly what your role is in the bilateral agreement process including the negotiations of it as a discreet from the department of environment etc.
>> Yeah. So uh I mean we are our minister won't be the regulatory decision maker. So the negotiations are principally between DQ and Tasmanian officials. Um we participate in most of the discussions but not all of the discussions between uh the proponent and and the agency that's the the regulatory or providing advice about the regulatory decision. Um and so our role really is our minister being responsible for the RFA act um clearly has an interest um and we need to uh it's useful for us to uh not only understand implications for the RFA act as we transition to the uh reformed uh EPBC act but also for us to provide another perspective um and to make sure that uh that things like engagement with the industry are happening uh through the process which is led by Tasmania and and DQ.
>> Thank you. They're my questions, chair.