Senate debates

Thursday, 14 November 2019

Questions without Notice

Forestry

3:04 pm

Photo of Bridget McKenzieBridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Hansard source

We are committed to growing the forestry industry. We took a strong plan to the election and we're delivering on it, thanks to a fabulous assistant minister in Senator Duniam. Our national forest industries plan is underway and has the goal of a billion new plantation trees over the next decade to meet the growing demand for wood. We've already established five new pilot regional forestry hubs to support strategic planning for future needs of the industry. We've got a draft consultation paper out for a half-billion dollar concessional loan program on how we can encourage expansion in plantation. The industry knows we're on their side because we are the side of politics that's delivering for them. So do their workforce and so do their regional communities. You ask me about alternatives. There's only one, and it's the Greens' plan to shut down an entire industry and a desperate Labor Party that refuses to stand up to them.

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