2016-03-23
Ms DUNN (Eastern Metropolitan) — My question is for the Minister for Agriculture. In April 2015 the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water in the other place confirmed logging coupe Rusty in Toolangi would be regenerated by mechanical disturbance. In response to a question on notice in December the minister confirmed that the coupe would be divided into sections to enable burning and mechanical disturbance. Two days ago the minister for environment recommitted to a mechanical disturbance regeneration, yet planned burn operation signage indicates Rusty coupe 297-547-0007 will be burnt. Can the minister confirm what process will be used to regenerate Rusty logging coupe?
Ms PULFORD (Minister for Agriculture) — President, welcome back. I thank the member for her question and for her interest in these matters. What I can inform the house is that VicForests has agreed to not conduct any burning in this particular coupe as part of the regeneration works. I advise the member of that information.
Supplementary question
Ms DUNN (Eastern Metropolitan) — I thank the minister for her answer. That being the case, will VicForests remove the signage that actually refers quite specifically to that coupe number and the fact that it is part of a planned burn operation?
Ms PULFORD (Minister for Agriculture) — I suppose given it has agreed to not proceed with the planned burn then taking the signs down would be a pretty logical step, so I think the answer to that is probably yes.