Senator KEMP (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Security) —by leave—During question time today Senator Bell raised a question with the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Hill, which purported to quote me in a newspaper article. From memory, I think Senator Bell said that I supported a conditional ban on woodchip exports. The way that was said, it may be misinterpreted. Therefore, I have obtained the press cutting from Senator Bell. I think it is worthwhile reading into the Senate record precisely what I was reported to have said on that occasion. The article is from the Australian on 21 March 1995. Among other things, it indicates that I:

. . . Supported a ban on the export of woodchips from forests not subject to regional agreements under the National Forest Policy Statement by the year 2000.

Having read the full statement, I think it puts a substantially different spin on it from the question that was posed by Senator Bell to Senator Hill.