Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Askew for her question and for the interest that all Tasmanian senators in this place have in the fantastic Tasmanian forestry sector. I particularly acknowledge the assistant minister responsible for forestry, Senator Duniam, for his fierce advocacy on behalf of this very important sector.

Yesterday was a milestone for Tasmania and a milestone for the Australian timber and forestry sector, when the full court ruled that the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreements were indeed valid. The decision was in response to efforts by Bob Brown's foundation to once again try and use the courts in a litigious attempt to shut down Tasmania's world-class forestry industry. I'd like to echo the words of Assistant Minister Duniam yesterday by saying that this judgement from the full court was a win for our forestry industry. It's a victory for every single forestry worker who now knows that they have a job, not just those in Tasmania but those right across Australia. But it also affirms the Australian government's commitment and belief in forestry agreements as the best way of balancing the environment, economic and social demands of our native forests. It's a milestone victory for forestry and its supporters, and it's an embarrassing loss for Bob Brown—and his merchandise campaign that he put out there.

They created the slogan 'Best chance in a generation to end native forest logging'. Indeed, it was a great forest case yesterday. The case proved to be great for forestry, it proved to be great for the jobs that the forestry industry supports, it was great in securing the jobs and communities that rely on the forestry industry and it was a great case to draw to the attention of the Australian public the vexatious attitude that the Greens and their supporters have, with the green lawfare to stop legitimate business, legitimate industries and legitimate communities across Australia. (Time expired)