Dr WOODRUFF – During the election campaign, one or the other of the Liberals election promises to existing Forestry Tasmania customers was that there would be 158,000 cubic metres of saw logs coming to them from Future Potential Production Forest (FPPF) land, the new land that you’re intending on going into. How did you arrive at such a precise figure if you haven’t actually found the land that you are seeking to convert?
Mr ABETZ – That was the estimate made at the time.
Dr WOODRUFF – Based on what?
Mr ABETZ – I wasn’t part of the policy‑making. I can try to obtain an answer for you as to how that was calculated at the time.
Dr WOODRUFF – Shall I take that on notice?
In the budget papers, it says that there’s a fairly unbelievable – it doesn’t say that; our words – but there is a fairly unbelievable 90 per cent of timber that your government claims is processed here in Tasmania. The footnotes clarify that this is the proportion –
Mr ABETZ – Which page?
Dr WOODRUFF – I don’t have the page number in front of me. This is the proportion of the total volume of timber that undergoes ‘some form of processing within the state’. Can you clarify what the different forms of processing are?
Mr ABETZ – To be able to provide an answer, I would really prefer a page number.
Dr WOODRUFF – I think one of your staff might be able to find that. It’s a footnote. There can’t be that many in the forestry section.
Mr ABETZ – We don’t do your homework for you. You need to come prepared for these Estimates.
Dr WOODRUFF – Excuse me, Chair, that’s pretty rude. You’ve got the whole of the Department in front of you, and you’ve got your secretary there.
Mr ABETZ – That is rude, but calling somebody dishonest isn’t? Really?
Dr WOODRUFF – If you aren’t able to answer the question, a very simple question about what forms of processing happen in Tasmania, I am shocked that you’re the minister and I’ll move on. Would processing, for example, include trimming logs down before they’re placed on the back of a logging track? Is that what the Liberals call processing of timber in this state? Can you confirm it? Would that be the case?
Mr ABETZ – The processing of the timber, thinking out loud now, would be making veneer paper, making saw logs, framing timber, timber link, pallet‑making is another. I’m sure there are other areas.
Dr WOODRUFF – Can the secretary confirm whether trimming logs down before they’re placed on the back of a logging truck would be defined as processing by the government? Would that fit under the 90 per cent of timber that’s processed in Tasmania? To the secretary, or you can take that on notice if you can’t answer it.
CHAIR – Order. It’s for the minister to direct to the secretary.
Dr WOODRUFF – Your terminology. Could I take those questions on notice please?
Mr ABETZ – What’s the terminology that’s ours?
Dr WOODRUFF – The terminology is your words in your budget paper that says, ’90 per cent of timber is processed here in Tasmania’, and that that is the proportion of the total volume of timber in Tasmania that undergoes ‘some form of processing’. I want to know what ‘some form of processing’ is considered by your government, and separately, whether the trimming of logs down before they’re placed on the back of a logging truck is regarded as a ‘form of processing’.
Mr ABETZ – Until we can find the page number that you’re referring to, it would be helpful if you could have provided that. We don’t have that immediately in front of us, so we’ll take that on notice. What I would encourage all members to do. If you want to quote something –
Dr WOODRUFF – Page 343. See, my staff have done it. You’ve had your whole office and you’re not able to do it, but there you go.
CHAIR – Order.
Mr ABETZ – Don’t reflect on departmental officials like that, that’s very unbecoming.
Dr WOODRUFF – I’m just reflecting on the efficiency of the Greens staff.
CHAIR – Order.
Dr WOODRUFF – Volume 2, number 1.
Mr ABETZ – Budget paper number 2?
Dr WOODRUFF – Volume 2, number 1. Page 343, minister.
Mr ABETZ – Page 343 is screen industry development, arts industry development.
Dr WOODRUFF – Maybe you need to go to another paper.
CHAIR – Order.
Dr WOODRUFF – I’m trying to help him out. I mean, honestly, the whole staff here.
Mr ABETZ – It’s in a footnote, is it?
Dr WOODRUFF – Yes, that is correct, No. 1, Volume 2. Timber processing.
Mr ABETZ – Mr Bowles is assisting us and he’ll tell us it’s an ABS.
Mr BOWLES – The definition of wood processing is it’s an Australian Bureau of Statistics definition, so it involves any transformation to the product. As to specific examples, without referring back to the ABS’s guidelines, I couldn’t answer that, but it is the ABS definition.
Dr WOODRUFF – Thank you, Mr Bowles. You don’t know whether it would involve –
CHAIR – Mr Garland has the call.
