Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-11-08 Daily Xml

Contents

FORESTRYSA

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:40): I have a third supplementary question: how does the minister propose to enforce the recommendations of the round table in relation to ensuring that the community gets the sort of comfort they want from the new owner of the forests?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (14:40): That will be a matter for the Treasurer. He is the lead minister in the negotiations of the sale and conditions and process for sale so this will be a matter for him. I am completely confident with the level of expertise that has been established on that round table. It is a cross-section of highly informed individuals who are ruggedly independent, from not only the forestry union movement but also senior members from the forestry sawmill industry. It is a broad cross-section of local interests in forestry. As I said, they have established a process to advise and report to the Treasurer on making recommendations around the conditions that should apply to the sale.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: How will it be enforced? It's a pretty simple question.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Through the contract. I have already put this on the record. He is not listening, Mr President. I have already said that they will advise on the conditions that will be established in terms of the conditions of sale, so they will need to be contractually upheld.