Andrew Wilkie (Denison, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The UN will shortly decide Australia's request to delist 74,000 hectares of Tasmanian World Heritage forests. Regardless of the government's position, will you respect the World Heritage Committee's final decision and not attempt any unprecedented unilateral withdrawal from the World Heritage framework? And before taking any final action, will you at least give me time to bring a petition to the parliament next week in support of maintaining the listing?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Denison for his question. Of course he has a perfect right to bring petitions to this parliament on any subject at any time, and I respect the member's commitment to the environment. But I do say, in response to the member for Denison, that I too am a conservationist and I regard myself as as much of a conservationist as any member of this parliament.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There will be silence on my left. The member for Moreton is warned.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The challenge that all of us in this parliament face in respect of the great state of Tasmania is to try to ensure that the great state of Tasmania is an economy as well as a national park. We need to ensure that the great state of Tasmania is a strong economy as a well as a beautiful national park. We need to ensure that the great state of Tasmania is a good place to work as well as—

Andrew Wilkie (Denison, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, a point of order on relevance: the essence of the question is whether or not—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I understand and appreciate and share the commitment of the member for Denison to Tasmania's forests. They are great renewable resources as well as pristine and beautiful places, and I want the people of Tasmania to be able to work in forests as well as to walk in forests. I want people to be able to make a living from forests as well as to appreciate their natural beauty. This is a question of getting the balance right, and the member for Denison can trust this government to do just that.

Andrew Wilkie (Denison, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam speaker, a further point of order: the question asked for really a yes or no—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, there is no point of order.