Senator GREIG —My question is directed to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Robert Hill. Minister, are you aware that last Saturday in Wattle Block near Northcliffe in the south-west of Western Australia, a group of 40 men, armed with baseball bats, axes and sledgehammers and masked with balaclavas, ransacked and burned a forest conservations' camp and threatened to kill the forest protesters? Are you further aware that your colleague Mr Wilson Tuckey addressed an angry group of pro-logging protesters outside the WA Parliament House only the day before, inciting them to levels of violence, where he was quoted as saying, `These people down there do not see Richard Court keeping the law, so why should they?' Does your government endorse these words of Mr Tuckey? If not, what will the Prime Minister do to reprimand him for his appalling behaviour?

Senator Abetz —On a point of order, Madam President: the questioner clearly reflected on the minister in suggesting that he had incited violence. An allegation of that description clearly ought to be withdrawn.

The PRESIDENT —An imputation of that sort ought not be made against a member of this chamber or a member of the other chamber. I would ask for that to be eliminated from the question.

Senator HILL (Environment and Heritage) —I thank the honourable senator for the question. Certainly, I saw the public reports of violence in the forests in south-west Western Australia and I deplore violence of that kind. In fact, I deplore violence in any circumstances. In relation to Mr Tuckey, the reports I saw were that he had made the point that in fact the atmosphere was extremely heated. I cannot see how he can be condemned for bringing that to the attention of interested parties, in particular the authorities. I saw nothing that suggested that Mr Tuckey was in any way inciting that violence.

We have made an effort to settle forest issues in a way that can give good conservation outcomes and provide resource security for the forest industry. We believe we have done so reasonably successfully in Tasmania and in Victoria. I think there is a further announcement being made on Victoria today. If it is made in the terms that I understand it will be, it will be further good news. We believe also that we achieved a good negotiated outcome in Western Australia. It was a disappointment to us that the management practices were subsequently unilaterally changed by the Western Australian government. But be that as it may, and notwithstanding the obvious disappointment of some parties in the heated environment, that in no way can justify violence. I certainly implore all those concerned to recognise that violence will never solve issues of this type or any other type and to work with the Western Australian government in a constructive and positive way in the implementation of the forest management processes they are adopting.

Senator GREIG —Madam President, I ask a supplementary question. I ask the minister: will he be calling upon Mr Tuckey to apologise for the provocative role that he played in this incident? Further, will the government accept any responsibility for and contribute towards the financial restitution of the damages incurred?

Senator HILL (Environment and Heritage) —As I said to the honourable senator, what was reported and what I picked up of what Mr Tuckey said was not provocative. In fact, it was a statement of fact that the environment is extremely heated. You could applaud Mr Tuckey for drawing that to the attention of the parties. I cannot see how in any way you can blame Mr Tuckey for that heated circumstance. In relation to restitution, I cannot see how that should be the responsibility of this government.