Senator LUDWIG (Queensland—Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Manager of Government Business in the Senate and Minister Assisting the Attorney-General on Queensland Floods Recovery) (14:21): I thank Senator Bob Brown for his interest in this issue. As Senator Brown knows, the independent expert group has provided advice on options for rescheduling existing harvesting work occurring in less than 2,000 hectares of the 430,000 hectares interim area. Following consideration by signatories, further advice was requested—so this process is ongoing. Senator Bob Brown: Mr President, on a point of order: due to the interjections I cannot hear the answer. The PRESIDENT: Senator Brown is entitled to hear the answer. Senator LUDWIG: As I said, the Tasmanian forestry industry is undergoing a restructuring and reshaping, brought about by several key events, which we have gone through before. In responding to those developments, the IGA between the Tasmanian and the Australian governments was signed on 7 August 2011. Part of clause 25 relates to how we go through the independent verification for wood supply into that region. As I have said before, Professor Jonathan West has engaged with the signatories to the statement of principles in a consultation process on who will be the appropriately qualified persons to form the independent verification group. The initial advice prepared by the two independent expert schedulers was presented to the signatories on 13 October 2011. After considering that advice, the signatories requested further information from the independent expert schedulers to clarify and expand on a number of elements covered by the initial advice. The signatories reviewed this information on 10 November 2011. (Time expired)