House debates

Wednesday, 15 August 2007

Adjournment

Braddon Electorate: Forestry

7:55 pm

Photo of Mark BakerMark Baker (Braddon, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I rise tonight to discuss once again the very important issue of forestry in my electorate. I mentioned last night that approximately $1 billion each year is contributed via the forestry industry. Tasmania grows unique, select timbers, including Huon pine, myrtle, Tasmanian hardwoods, blackwood—the list goes on. The industry contributes over 20 per cent of total manufacturing employment and 25 per cent of total manufacturing wages and salaries, which make up 24 per cent of total industry turnover. The recently announced Circular Head and Huon veneer mills are an investment of some $32 million.

In 2003-04 the total Tasmanian forest fibre production was over 23 per cent of national production and valued at some $381 million. This figure represents an increase of 65 per cent in value since 1997-98. Since 1997, around $1.4 billion has been invested in the industry. With over 42 per cent of Tasmania’s land mass in either state or national world heritage parks and reserves, the line in the sand has been drawn where the balance is just about right between conservation and forestry. But there is a huge risk.

We had the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Rudd, in the electorate only a few weeks ago announcing that he supported the Tasmanian forestry agreements and the policies of the Howard government. The confusion within the electorate is where the shadow minister for the environment stands. This is a crucial issue to people planning for their future, whether they drive a log truck or work in the forestry industry. One only has to look at the Australian Conservation Foundation, which Peter Garrett led for a three-year term and is patron of. He stated after the most recent announcement and it is worth recalling:

The Australian Conservation Foundation has called on the ALP to honour its April national conference commitment to ‘further protection of identified Tasmanian high-conservation value, old growth forests, rainforests and other ecosystems.

One million hectares were protected in total after the last election. There are 100 trees per hectare—that is, 100 million trees which are protected. Yet the shadow minister for the environment is still calling for more. According to the Canberra Times in 2004:

Last week—

Photo of Brendan O'ConnorBrendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industrial Relations) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The member for Braddon is clearly misleading the House. He knows that the Leader of the Opposition supports the RFAs and he is doing his best to say otherwise.

Photo of David HawkerDavid Hawker (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member will resume his seat. That is not a point of order.

Photo of Mark BakerMark Baker (Braddon, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I continue:

... Mr Garrett played down reports he was—

Photo of David HawkerDavid Hawker (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member will refer to other members by their seat.

Photo of Mark BakerMark Baker (Braddon, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

The shadow minister for the environment was:—

... co-author of the ALP forestry policy which was unveiled just days before the election, and committed Opposition Leader Mark Latham to saving large tracts of Tasmania’s old growth forests.

The member for Kingsford Smith—someone aspiring to be a government minister—has described the negotiated regional forest agreements as:

... a completely flawed and discredited process initiated by Government.

The member is also on the record as saying:

The forest industry is not willing to act in a responsible manner. It is attempting to provoke and confront conservationists over the issue.

The member has also previously stated:

All old growth and high conservation value forests across Australia should be immediately protected.

It is of great concern to the people of north-west Tasmania that, on the one hand, we have Mr Rudd making statements that he follows the—

Photo of Jill HallJill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It is the same point that you raised previously.

Photo of David HawkerDavid Hawker (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for Shortland was quicker than I was. The member for Braddon will refer to the Leader of the Opposition by his title.

Photo of Mark BakerMark Baker (Braddon, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

In 2004, the member for Kingsford Smith said:

Tasmania has a lot to lose thanks to logging gone mad. The state’s flourishing tourism industry is threatened by consumer reaction to carnage in the forests.

There is distress and uncertainty about the futures of the people of the north-west coast. They are concerned about their jobs, their homes, and even such matters as their kids, future schooling arrangements. It is not only on the north-west coast but throughout all of Tasmania where some 10,000 people rely on the industry for work. On the one hand, we have the Leader of the Opposition making one statement and, on the other hand, the shadow minister for the environment, who would be elected, making other statements. How long is it before the real policy is going to be announced? (Time expired)

Photo of David HawkerDavid Hawker (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Order! It being just after 8.00 pm, the debate is interrupted.