Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I may suffer the same fate—that I do not get sufficient time to provide an answer. Some of those matters fall within other areas, and I am not trying to avoid answering the question. That part of the question that this portfolio can respond to I will take on notice. Some of it will definitely fall within the relevant Tasmanian state government's responsibility, and some parts of it will fall within the department of environment. But I will see what I can do to provide a response to Senator Brown in relation to the serious issue that he does raise.

Broadly, can I then just underpin the position that the government is committed to this process of finalising and supports the continuation of those discussions, as outlined in the Prime Minister's statement of 7 December last year. We continue to support discussions. We continue to ensure that Mr Kelty facilitates those discussions and that there is a due diligence assessment undertaken. Of course, that includes support in the budget— (Time expired)