Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 4:05:53 to 4:07:57
Senators inquire about the 2027 deadline for the bilateral agreement between the Commonwealth and Tasmania regarding forestry.
Topics: Forestry, EPBC Act
Speakers: Matt Lowe, Senator Vanessa Bleyer, Unknown Speaker
>> that's it. Thank you very much. I'm grateful for the information. And just a quick couple of questions about the proposed bilateral agreement between the Commonwealth and Tasmania relating to forestry. Does there need to be any adjustment of personnel at the table?
>> Uh yes, there probably will, Senator.
you you'd be aware that there's um an intention to establish a bilateral agreement if it can be by the 1st of July 2027. So what will happen if a bilateral agreement isn't signed with the Tasmanian government by that date?
Um uh well first and foremost Senator um the thing that we we'd like to emphasize is that um we are working with um DQ and have every intention to ensure um that our joint work with DQ and with the Tasmanian government ensures that a bilateral is in place, a bilateral agreement is in place by the 1st of July 2027. Um should a bilateral not be in place um there will be uh a range of a range of issues associated with that. Um the the current approval does kind of if if you like facilitate and enable um the sustainable harvesting of forests in Tasmania and and there would need to we would need to work with the Tasmanian government to identify if there are other options to enable that activity to
understanding that if a bilateral agreement isn't entered into by the 30th of June 2027, um that forestry would need to make applications for approval under our national environment laws?
>> That that that would be one option available to um the industry. And do you