Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 4:11:15 to 4:13:17
Officials discuss potential extensions for plantation support grants due to delays in project commencement and planting seasons.
Topics: Forestry, Grants administration
Speakers: Guy Bursle, Hon Richard Colbeck, Senator Glenn Sterle, Unknown Speaker
>> Oh, well done. Does anyone [clears throat] want five minutes? >> Yep. >> Sure. Till 1:00 and then we'll be out.
back to the the plantation um support program in terms of that the that particular pro project we've been discussing. Um are there any concerns about the proponents capacity to complete by the completion date of the grant? So the [clears throat] way I've read the documentation is that they have to be complete by the end of June 2027.
>> Uh I think the short answer, Senator, is yes. We're in discussions at the moment. I referred earlier to the project's activity work plan. We're in discussions with the proponent. Uh given the delays, they've indicated that they may need an extension to the
>> Okay, so that was going to be my question. Is there scope for an extension to the project?
>> There is. There is scope. We'd have to consider that with the gr uh the grantee
you're in discussion so it's effectively being applied for.
>> Uh yeah. Yes. I I think that's I think that well they they've indicated a a likely need for it. I think we're not finalizing that given the clean energy regulator project declaration step hasn't occurred. I I think we wouldn't
want to. Can you just say that
>> because the cleaner the uh I said earlier the first step for this grantee is having their ACU project declared by the cleaner energy regulator because that step hasn't occurred and that's the first
>> not been finalized yet.
>> Yeah. Um >> that we need to know that the C project will proceed before we can really lock in with the proponent their delivery time frames. Um so I think it's not sensible for us to uh renegotiate a a grant agreement time frame before that step's resolved
>> until that element is completed.