Mr BAYLEY - To continue the conservation theme, I'm interested in the subsurface irrigation for the oak trees that you mentioned in your opening, minister, and also, it's mentioned in the annual report. For those not familiar and listening, due to sea level rises and groundwater and increasing salinity, a subsurface irrigation system has been installed to flush the salt water from the root systems of the trees. I'm curious about the longevity of this in terms of these trees. Is it anticipated to be a long term solution or will there reach a point where there's diminishing returns from it, diminishing effectiveness?
Ms BRAZIL - It is a long term solution. We have arborists who take regular surveys of all our significant trees. This was based on their advice. These trees are on reclaimed land, which is why we have the problem, so it will be something that we'll be monitoring on an annual basis. Sorry, I don't have a crystal ball, but it is the longest-term solution because it was quite an innovative thing to do at this point in time.
Mr BAYLEY - Are you going to have to expand it across other trees on site?
Ms BRAZIL - Not at this stage. We rely on the arborists' support moving forward.
Mr BAYLEY - And you are monitoring it for effectiveness?
Ms BRAZIL - Yes.
Mr BAYLEY - Do you need it on any other sites that you manage?
Ms BRAZIL - No, we haven't got the detailed survey. The coal mines will probably have a different approach once we do the detailed surveys. It is important to understand what is causing the problems then to come up with solutions, as we are doing with the penitentiary.
Mr BAYLEY - I noticed the website states that the Port Arthur Historic Site's Management Plan, the statutory management plan, is under review. Could you just talk us through the review process and time line, particularly opportunities for community consultation and engagement there?
Mr O'BRIEN - I might ask Sarah Jane.
Ms BRAZIL - Because we are part of a World Heritage property we're required to have management plans that meet both the World Heritage Convention and the EPBC Act, the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, which is the national legislation we need to meet as well. As you have alluded to, it is from 2008 and mainly applies to Port Arthur. Since then the organisation has added the Female Factory to its portfolio as well as the Coal Mines. Fortunately it became part of World Heritage property so the review is quite overdue. We have currently started along that process and are looking to have a few drafts early in the new year. Then, as required by Tasmanian legislation, we will be going out for the consultation process.
Mr BAYLEY - What is the time line? When is the first consultation, for example?
Ms BRAZIL - It is part of the consultant's role so it will be early next year in accordance with what our legislative requirements are.
Mr BAYLEY - When are you aiming to conclude it by? Do you know that?
Ms BRAZIL - It is quite a complex process in Tasmania to seek approvals for a management plan, and then it needs to go to the federal government for approval. With this current federal government, I have been told there are a number of backlogs and different focuses, so we've got to get through the Tasmanian Government first and then we take it to the feds. Part of the work of the consultants I have engaged is to map out what that potential timeframe would be.
Mr BAYLEY - Has this attracted any specific funding to deliver the management plan or do you just pay it out of consolidated revenue?
Ms BRAZIL - No, we're using our own efficiencies and our own budget to do that at this point in time.
Mr BAYLEY - Did you make a request for funding to deliver on that management plan?
Ms BRAZIL - No, because it's within the operational funding that we already get.
Mr FLAMSTEED - The project itself has been identified as part of our five-year strategic plan that has recently been released and part of that analysis is fully understanding the cost of our organisation and our commitment, as Sarah Jane touched on, to conservation. Our primary drive is to conserve and sustain our sites. These are very important documents that we will spend as much time as we need on to get right.
