Dr WOODRUFF – Minister, are you the minister responsible for climate change?
Mr DUIGAN – Yes, I am, through ReCFIT.
Dr WOODRUFF – What do you mean through ReCFIT? Not through the Department of Environment?
Mr DUIGAN – Renewables, Climate and Future Industries Tasmania.
Dr WOODRUFF – So in your capacity as the Energy minister?
Mr DUIGAN – No, as minister for climate change.
Dr WOODRUFF – You are not the minister for climate change, because there is no –
CHAIR – Order.
Mr DUIGAN – I am the minister responsible for climate change.
Dr WOODRUFF – Right. In your capacity as the Environment minister?
Mr DUIGAN – Climate.
Dr WOODRUFF – But there is no climate minister. Are you responsible for climate in your capacity as the Environment minister?
Mr DUIGAN – No. Energy.
Dr WOODRUFF – Why do you think it’s appropriate to have an industrial approach to managing climate change?
Mr DUIGAN – I don’t accept that we have an industrial approach to managing the impacts of climate change. I’m the minister with the responsibility to look after Tasmania’s response and actions in the climate change space, and I’m very proud to have that responsibility. There is a number of actions that we are undertaking in that space and we’ll continue to do so. We understand that climate change is real and with us. Tasmania is not immune to its impacts, and we will continue to address those impacts.
Dr WOODRUFF – So the single approach you’re taking is to look at reducing emissions by generating renewable energy, because that’s the portfolio you’re responsible for. What about the impacts on all the communities around Tasmania who were affected by extreme events in the last couple of weeks? What about the environment which is being devastated by the impacts of climate change? Have you done modelling of the carbon emissions that will come from the 39,000 extra hectares of native forest that your government’s planning to log and burn?
Mr DUIGAN – In answer to that question – and I would point to the fact that I’m very happy to explore these issues more wholly this afternoon when we have the climate team in the room –
Dr WOODRUFF – We are here to talk about the environment, and climate change is part of the environment.
CHAIR – Order.
Mr DUIGAN – In terms of Tasmanian renewable energy projects, they are a very large aspect of what Tasmania does in response to climate change. We have a commitment and a legislated target of 200 per cent of 2020’s level of energy generation by 2040. That will have a massive impact on decarbonisation. Replacing coal-fired generation –
Dr WOODRUFF – Standing order 45, relevance.
CHAIR – Order.
Dr WOODRUFF – I asked a question about whether you’ve modelled carbon emissions from the forest that you’ll be logging and burning.
CHAIR – You’ve asked the question. Allow the minister to answer in his way.
Dr WOODRUFF – You’ve just strayed very widely from that topic.
Mr DUIGAN – You did introduce that line of questioning, so I was just responding to that. I think it is worth highlighting that in several other states, including New South Wales and Western Australia, the Energy minister also holds the Environment portfolio, and in most other jurisdictions, responsibility for climate change.
Dr WOODRUFF – Can you answer the question please? Have you done the modelling of carbon emissions? That was the question.
CHAIR – Dr Woodruff, order.
Dr WOODRUFF – Can I have it on notice?
Mr DUIGAN – I will answer that this afternoon when we discuss climate.
Dr WOODRUFF – You just said you’re the minister responsible for climate.
CHAIR – Order, the minister has given his answer.
Dr WOODRUFF – It says under your media release on Environment Day that you are responsible for the climate change act.
CHAIR – Dr Woodruff, the call has gone –
Dr WOODRUFF – It says here, ‘We are taking actions under the Climate Change Action Plan on Environment Day’. As the Minister for Environment, you put that out.
CHAIR – Dr Woodruff, the call has gone to Mr Garland.
Dr WOODRUFF – Are you saying you’re not responsible for climate?
Mr DUIGAN – I am. I will answer questions this afternoon –
Dr WOODRUFF – But you won’t answer questions in this portfolio, because you don’t want to talk about forest emissions.
CHAIR – Dr Woodruff, that is enough.
Dr WOODRUFF – Well, Chair, honestly –
CHAIR – The minister has answered as he sees fit, which is, according to the –
Dr WOODRUFF – Yes, false news.
CHAIR – The call has gone to Mr Garland.
Dr WOODRUFF – Minister, the two greatest threats to native forest species in Tasmania and around the world are the clearing of their habitat and climate change. We have many species that are struggling in Tasmania and some are on the brink of extinction. Stopping emissions going into the atmosphere and stopping habitat clearing is so critical. Do you accept that the logging and annual burning of native forests in Tasmania is releasing very large quantities of emissions, and that it’s very important for us to do everything we can to not release emissions over the next couple of years and decade because we’ve already reached 1.5 degrees?
Mr DUIGAN – I note that our emissions profile is in my climate change responsibilities, which I’m happy to discuss this afternoon. In regard to native and regrowth timber harvesting, it’s critical that people know and understand that every area of Tasmania, whether it’s public or private forest, that may be harvested for timber production, is regenerated back to native timber forest.
Dr WOODRUFF – Can I just be clear that I’m asking you, as the minister for Environment –
Mr DUIGAN – We understand that because it is a zero sum game.
Dr WOODRUFF – about the trees that are being logged?
CHAIR – Order, Dr Woodruff.
Dr WOODRUFF – Do you accept that logging and burning releases vast quantities of emissions into the atmosphere right now each year, and that it is contributing to the heating of the climate?
Mr DUIGAN – Again, I’m happy to talk about emissions in –
Dr WOODRUFF – No, I’m talking about trees. You’re the minister for Environment. This is about trees.
CHAIR – Order.
Dr WOODRUFF – Can you answer the question?
CHAIR – Order, Dr Woodruff.
Mr DUIGAN – There is potentially no product which is more important to climate change and climate resilience than timber, because it is the ultimate renewable.
Dr WOODRUFF – I didn’t think you were the minister for Business.
CHAIR – Order.
Dr WOODRUFF – You’re the minister for trees. Answer the question. Do they release emissions every year?
CHAIR – Dr Woodruff, enough. Allow the minister to answer the question. Stop interjecting, please.
Dr WOODRUFF – You shouldn’t have to get a note about how to answer this question. It is so basic. It’s science.
Mr DUIGAN – I can get a note. Thank you.
CHAIR – Dr Woodruff, order.
Mr DUIGAN – We are planning to harvest our renewable carbon sequestering resource and then resow and replant for a new crop to further satisfy our wood supply needs and provide job security.
Dr WOODRUFF – So shameful.
Mr DUIGAN – No, absolutely not.
Dr WOODRUFF – It is so shameful for young people watching this today – the future generation.
Mr DUIGAN – Growing a forest is a very powerful carbon sequestering tool –
Dr WOODRUFF – You are responsible for looking after those forests. Other ministers are responsible for chopping them down.
CHAIR – Order, Dr Woodruff.
Mr DUIGAN – It is important that for a eucalyptus forest there are differing age classes throughout the forest – a mosaic of age classes. We know that that’s absolutely critical for biodiversity.
Dr WOODRUFF – As minister for crown lands, you’re also responsible for having to sign over, if the Minister for Business, Industry and Resources gives you a piece of paper, an extra 39,000 hectares of native forests to be logged and burned each year. Given the climate and biodiversity crisis, it would be a climate crime to sign that, wouldn’t it?
Mr DUIGAN – No.
Dr WOODRUFF – Why not?
Mr DUIGAN – Because I think this government has been clear about its support for and intention to rebuild the Tasmanian forestry sector. It’s critical.
Dr WOODRUFF – It’s all about business all the way for you.
CHAIR – Order.
Mr DUIGAN – As I have outlined, timber is a very important part of our climate response. It is a very good –
Dr WOODRUFF – Why don’t you give your portfolio to someone who actually cares about the environment?
CHAIR – Dr Woodruff, order. I ask you to please desist interrupting the proceedings of this committee.
Mr DUIGAN – As I was saying, timber is a central response to Tasmania’s climate change actions. It is a product which embodies carbon. It is a product which, when grown and used locally, has a very limited transport emissions footprint, and it is renewable. Any area that is harvested, particularly as it applies to regrowth forest, or native timber as it sometimes called, is resown and regrown, and that is very important to understand. That’s true whether it’s on public land or on private land. In terms of the potential reallocation of future potential production forest and the 27 parcels of FPPF land totalling 39,000 hectares, Minister Abetz is currently in the phase of obtaining detailed information as required under section 7 of the Forestry Act. This will determine the exact heritage and location of the parcels.
So far, this has included meeting with the forest sector as committed. Minister Abetz has not yet written to me, as the crown lands minister specified in section 7 of the act, and I am advised he has no plans to do so until he has worked through all the information in the requirements listed under section 2 of the same act.
