Eric Hutchinson (Lyons, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting a really important business in my electorate and that is the Norske Skog paper-manufacturing plant, at Boyer, in the Derwent Valley. I was joined by Senator David Bushby. We were given a presentation by the managing director, Rod Bender. Senior members of his management team and union representatives within the business also joined us for lunch. What a really fantastic business this is and what an important business it is not only for the Derwent Valley but also for the state of Tasmania. There were some themes around our discussions and they focused primarily on energy. We were marked on our policies as a government in that area and, indeed, were acknowledged for keeping our promises on not only the carbon tax but also the renewable energy target, particularly in relation to energy-intensive trade-exposed industries, of which Norske is one.

In terms of transport, the advantages that we have had through the expansion of the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme are absolutely critical to that business and its ongoing viability. That was acknowledged by all in attendance. Fibre supply is fundamental to this business. We were marked as 'talking a good game.' And, indeed, the inclusion of biomass within the renewable energy target provides an enormous opportunity for that business but also other businesses within Tasmania to take advantage of a resource that we have there that is currently stranded.

Of course, industrial relations are important within any business. Whilst this is a fantastic and a cooperative workplace where the staff are engaged and very cooperative, which really underpins the performance culture within the organisation, one of the things that hurt the business were decisions by the previous government in 2009 and, again, in 2012 in relation to 'revitalising' the Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Act. This has hurt that business. It virtually stopped their ability to export paper from Tasmania to Western Australia.

The key opportunity that we have within the renewable energy target is the inclusion of thermal energy. At the moment we can generate electricity from biomass, but there is an enormous opportunity—for this business and many other businesses around Australia—with thermal energy, generated from biomass, to be able to be included within the renewable energy target.