Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have a world-class and sustainable native timber industry in Victoria which is being destroyed by an arrogant premier who doesn't care about the damage he is doing to country communities. This new Labor is so desperate for Greens preferences that it has sacrificed the jobs of blue-collar workers. Old Labor MPs would have had the guts to stand up and fight for blue-collar workers, but no-one is standing up to Premier Dan Andrews. The Prime Minister stands at the dispatch box and claims he supports the native hardwood timber industry. The only problem is: he does nothing about it. I've never seen a more gutless Labor Party in my life, too gutless to stand up for blue-collar workers and the timber communities. It's like they've become 'the Kermit Party'; they're trying to be greener than the Greens! We are seeing some Labor MPs and those on the crossbench representing some of the most privileged suburbs in Australia seeking to sack workers with some of the lowest household incomes in the nation based on their total ignorance of the native hardwood timber industry. The teals, the Greens and Labor are all ganging up on blue-collar workers based on their complete ignorance of the timber industry.

There is hardwood timber all around us in this building. Speaker, your chair itself was made by craftsman David Upfill-Brown from grey box, a species of eucalyptus. Perhaps those opposite would rather have you sitting on a foldout camping chair or something made from bamboo! We will be importing more timber products if we shut down the native Australian hardwood timber industry. I've got no idea whether this new Labor Party will ever stand up for our blue-collar workers again. (Time expired)