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5663 REVISED PROOF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 2019-20-21 FIRST SESSION OF THE FIFTY-SEVENTH PARLIAMENT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS No. 477 THURSDAY 15 APRIL 2021 (The Questions and Answers Paper published every Tuesday of each week will contain, by number and title, all unanswered questions, together with questions to which answers have been received on the previous sitting and any new questions. On subsequent days, new questions are printed, as are questions to which answers were received the previous day. Consequently, the full text of any question will be printed only twice: when notice is given; and, when answered.) Notice given on date shown. 5664 Legislative Council Questions and Answers No. 477—Thursday 15 April 2021 Publication of Questions Answer to be lodged by Q & A No. 465 (Including Question Nos 5242 to 5256) 16 April 2021 Q & A No. 466 (Including Question Nos 5257 to 5316) 19 April 2021 Q & A No. 467 (Including Question Nos 5317 to 5321) 20 April 2021 Q & A No. 468 (Including Question Nos 5322 to 5323) 21 April 2021 Q & A No. 469 (Including Question Nos 5324 to 5330) 22 April 2021 Q & A No. 470 (Including Question Nos 5331 to 5344) 27 April 2021 Q & A No. 471 (Including Question Nos 5345 to 5345) 28 April 2021 Q & A No. 472 (Including Question Nos 5346 to 5349) 29 April 2021 Q & A No. 473 (Including Question Nos 5350 to 5390) 30 April 2021 Q & A No. 474 (Including Question Nos 5391 to 5395) 3 May 2021 Q & A No. 475 (Including Question Nos 5396 to 5401) 4 May 2021 Q & A No. 476 (Including Question Nos 5402 to 5416) 5 May 2021 Q & A No. 477 (Including Question Nos 5417 to 5418) 6 May 2021 5665 Legislative Council Questions and Answers No. 477—Thursday 15 April 2021 25 MARCH 2021 (Paper No. 464) * 5191 ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT—BROADWATER BIOMASS POWER STATION—The Hon. Mark Pearson to ask the Special Minister of State, and Minister for the Public Service and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Arts representing the Minister for Energy and Environment— According to the NSW Biomass Power Generation Report by Liz Ingham published in 2020, Broadwater biomass power station is now burning more wood than bagasse to generate electricity. (1) Can the Minister advise what volumes of hardwood burnt at Broadwater power station in the 2018/19 financial year came (a) directly from: (i) the public forest estate or other public land? (ii) private plantations? (iii) private native forests? (b) Indirectly from sawmill waste? (2) What volumes of carbon dioxide from burning this wood are likely to have been directly released into the atmosphere? Answer— (1) - (2): I am advised the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) does not hold this data for 2018/19. The EPA has recently varied the licence conditions to capture this data. The new reporting requirements do not apply retrospectively. * 5192 PLANNING AND PUBLIC SPACES—FUNDING FOR CULTURAL BURNING—Mr David Shoebridge to ask the Minister for Mental Health, Regional Youth and Women representing the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces— (1) How much money has the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment allocated from the Commonwealth's Regional Bush Fire Recovery Fund (Phase 2 - Resilience and Recovery) towards Traditional Owner-led Cultural Burning of Country? (2) Who determined these allocations? (3) What projects did this include? (4) What guidelines were in place to assess the projects? Answer— I am advised: This matter should be referred to the Minister for Energy and Environment * 5193 AGRICULTURE AND WESTERN NEW SOUTH WALES—FUNDING FOR CULTURAL BURNING—Mr David Shoebridge to ask the Minister for Mental Health, Regional Youth and Women representing the Minister for Agriculture and Western New South Wales— (1) How much money has Local Land Services allocated from the Commonwealth's Regional Bush Fire Recovery Fund (Phase 2 - Resilience and Recovery) towards Traditional Owner-led Cultural Burning of Country? (2) Who determined these allocations? (3) What projects did this include? (4) What guidelines were in place to assess the projects? Answer— 5666 Legislative Council Questions and Answers No. 477—Thursday 15 April 2021 (1) Local Land Services (LLS) was not allocated specific funding for Traditional Owner led initiatives within the Phase 1 and 2 Australian Government (AG) Bushfire Recovery - Emergency Response. This funding was tied to emergency pest mitigation and immediate habitat recovery for threatened species (pest management, threatened species assessment and monitoring, habitat infrastructure and augmentation). Despite this, some LLS regions invested Phase 1 and 2 funding into Traditional Owner led initiatives: South East LLS undertook preliminary planning to identify possible locations for Traditional Owner led cultural burning projects during this period in the South Coast Bushfire Region. North Coast LLS supported Yaegl Traditional Owners and Minyumai Aboriginal Corporation to map tree hollows, install additional nest boxes, remove weeds and undertake a small cultural burn. LLS was allocated $2,810,489 from the AG to deliver Traditional Owner led initiatives in four bushfire affected regions as part of the AG’s Phase 3 Bushfire Recovery - Species and Landscapes: NSW North Coast and Tablelands $630,000 The Greater Blue Mountains $446,902 NSW South Coast $1,565,500 Alpine $148,132. (2) Allocations were determined in negotiation between the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment (DAWE), LLS and NSW Energy Environment and Science Division (EES), with agreement that the bulk of the Traditional Owner led initiatives should be delivered within the NSW Conservation Estate. Allocations were determined for each bushfire region dependent upon size of fire scar, plus the percentage of fire scar on Conservation Estate (EES) versus the percentage of fire scar on private and other Crown Land (LLS). (3) N/A. (4) All projects within this funding are required to address the outcome of the program stipulated by the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment (DAWE): Maximise recovery and build resilience for national priority environmental assets The DAWE held an extensive co-design workshop series in each bushfire affected region, where all stakeholders including State agencies, community groups and Traditional Owners had input into development of projects. This project list was oversubscribed and therefore prioritised by stakeholder groups during the final workshop. LLS is currently negotiating final projects determined through this process with DAWE. Final projects have not yet been allocated or approved. DAWE assess all projects put forward to ensure they: meet the outcomes of the program are delivered in partnership with relevant and identified partners are in keeping with projects put forward by stakeholders during the co-design process. * 5194 ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT—STAFF IN MINISTERIAL OFFICES—The Hon. Adam Searle to ask the Special Minister of State, and Minister for the Public Service and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Arts representing the Minister for Energy and Environment— (1) Will the Minister provide a list including the following details of all staff in their ministerial office (including public service staff on secondment) since 1 January 2020: Staff who have commenced since 1 January 2020 Staff who have left since 1 January 2020 Job title / position 5667 Legislative Council Questions and Answers No. 477—Thursday 15 April 2021 Date of commencement or cessation (where relevant) Total number of staff in the ministerial office currently Answer— (1) The number of staff engaged in my office and their salary bands are recorded on the Department of Premier and Cabinet's website at: https://www.dpc.nsw.gov.au/publications/premiers-and- ministers-staffnumbers/. The Member can identify the differences in the staffing levels over time in my office having regard to the reports published on that website. I confirm that the number of staff in my office as at today's date has not changed since 31 December 2020 (which is the subject of the most recent published report on the above website). * 5195 LOCAL GOVERNMENT—STAFF IN MINISTERIAL OFFICES—The Hon. Adam Searle to ask the Special Minister of State, and Minister for the Public Service and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Arts representing the Minister for Local Government— (1) Will the Minister provide a list including the following details of all staff in their ministerial office (including public service staff on secondment) since 1 January 2020: Staff who have commenced since 1 January 2020 Staff who have left since 1 January 2020 Job title / position Date of commencement or cessation (where relevant) Total number of staff in the ministerial office currently? Answer— Staff information is reported here: https://www.dpc.nsw.gov.au/publications/premiers-and-ministers-staff- numbers/ * 5196 PREMIER—STAFF IN MINISTERIAL OFFICES—The Hon. Adam Searle to ask the Special Minister of State, and Minister for the Public Service and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Arts representing the Premier— (1) Will the Minister provide a list including the following details of all staff in their ministerial office (including public service staff on secondment) since 1 January 2020: Staff who have commenced since 1 January 2020 Staff who have left since 1 January 2020 Job title / position Date of commencement or cessation (where relevant) Total number of staff in the ministerial office currently? Answer— I am advised: Staff numbers are published