Michael Ferguson (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise tonight to speak, as I have before, about the future of a regional economy in north-east Tasmania. Last week it was announced that a company part owned by the Tasmanian government, Taswood Growers, will no longer be supplying sawlogs to the Scottsdale mills run by Auspine. This news came as a bitter blow to the north-east community, which is now very concerned about the loss of up to 300 jobs directly and, of course, the flow-on effects that such a closure could have on a small regional centre. I have great hopes for the Scottsdale community and its resilient and, I have to say, magnificent people, and I am working hard to assist in all ways I can to help guide the community through this time of great uncertainty. This week I have formed a task force designed to plan for our region’s future. I will outline for the House my hopes for the north-east, but first I want to make some very important points about the Tasmanian Labor government, which has much to answer for in its mishandling of this softwood resource security issue—or, rather, lack of resource security. This is despite repeated warnings.

I am very angry that the state government in Tasmania, by its neglect, has likely damaged a regional economy, and I just wonder how long that damage will last and whether or not it can be mitigated. For more than two years in this place and in the public arena—it is on the record and on the HansardI have been calling for forward planning by the Tasmanian government on the issue of softwood resource supply. I have spoken on this issue in the adjournment debate over the last two years. I have issued press releases and I have called on the Tasmanian government. I remember one press release two years ago in which I said, ‘Now is not the time to panic, but we need to plan and we need to cease the export of pine logs to other countries for processing.’ I said that we needed to ensure that the mills operating in Tasmania were given some security for the future. I was ignored.

The silence then and now from state and federal Labor members of parliament has not gone unnoticed in that north-east community. The fact is that this issue could have been resolved by facilitating the granting of a wood supply contract at any time during last year. Instead, the supply will go to a rival company, which will build a mill in a different region, and it will employ just 100 people instead of 300 people. I gladly put on record that I am pleased for that Tasmanian company, Forest Enterprises Australia, which has won the supply. I congratulate it on its bid. It has done what companies do: it put up its hand for an opportunity when it presented itself. But this whole process and the outcome do not augur well at all for the north-east community and specifically for the township of Scottsdale and for the Dorset community.

I know from firsthand accounts what a very difficult time it has been recently for that Auspine workforce of 300 people, their families, other businesses, the schools and the whole sense of community. It has been a heavy knock. They really are very concerned for the future. They look to people like me and other politicians and say, ‘What will you do to support us and what will you do to help?’ Very unfortunately, sometimes we look at them, unable to say very much, because unfortunately the damage has been done.

We have a lot of work to do, and I will be very proud and pleased to be a part of it and to be a proactive worker. It is vitally important at this time to consider the long-term economy of this region in areas like tourism, dairy and potential water developments. As well as sawmilling and value-adding in the timber industry, these all need to be part of a plan for our region. Time evades me this evening, but I will simply say in closing that the task force that I have formed will meet for the first time this Friday. I am looking forward to good support around the table. I have invited people from all levels of government, including people from opposing parties and community representatives. We must get this right in this window of opportunity that we have been given. I look forward to working constructively and cooperatively with this new group. I thank the House. (Time expired)