Russell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The first thing I would like to say to the member for Braddon is that he should be congratulated for the input and inspiration of his local community, which the federal government supported, just as the previous federal government supported projects through Regional Partnerships. At your invitation, when the project is finished, I will come to the electorate of Braddon to have a look. I do not know how long the Julie Burgess is, but I take it it is a 40-footer.

Sid Sidebottom (Braddon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No; it’s 68.

Russell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is 68 feet, because it is going to cross the sea as well. It is a huge investment and a great opportunity for local people. In Tasmania, there are amazing lovers of wooden boats, so this is going to add to that fleet and to tourism. There is nothing more we can do for our own communities than to enhance opportunities through regional tourism. People come from all over the world to parts of my electorate, and I know to parts of your electorate, Member for Braddon, to look at what is unique. My old friend Brian Quinlivan, who was a trader who came to our shop—you would call him a rep—always said to me, ‘Russ, the greatest secret in Australia is a place called Tasmania.’ He went there twice a year to sell his wares. By chance and opportunity, I was given a holiday by my daughter at one stage—probably, like you, Member for Braddon, after an election loss. I was sent away with my wife to tour Tasmania. I have to say to those who are listening to this broadcast today that one of the most precious trips you can ever do is a tour around Tasmania. Go and look at the beauty of Tasmania—what it is and how we should preserve it.

I think the Australian nation is now coming to a place where we are considering very, very carefully what forests we clear and what damage we do to those forests. There is a balance now coming into play of jobs and opportunities in tourism and other benefits, as the member for Braddon has outlined. But we are going to have to consider where the world stands on climate change and what our contribution is going to be to stopping that. Therefore, if we are going to do any clearing, we have to double the planting. This is coming from a person from a timber area, like the member for Braddon, who has great concern for the jobs that people gain out of the harvesting of timber. Whilst that is crucially important, we now have to look very closely across the whole of Australia that we have the opportunity to green.

On Saturday, I am going to Mossvale Park, a beautiful and elegant park in my area which was planted years ago. All of the Landcare people are coming together, but not to whinge about what the government has done—they are over that. I believe Tony Burke, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, has made some changes whereby small groups will now be able to apply for funds for their small projects. These people are coming together on one big day, which I have the opportunity to open—and I am pretty excited about that—to commit to planting a million trees. They have decided as a group to commit themselves to planting a million trees.

The member for Braddon has outlined what is going on in his electorate and the opportunities that are there. I am letting him know that in my electorate we are doing something for the environment. It is true and fair to say that members of parliament who I see come to this place consider every day what opportunities there will be for people such as the two very young people sitting behind me. We are making decisions now that will make a difference to their future and we have to keep that in mind at every opportunity. (Time expired)