Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Lyons for his question. He, like all Tasmanian members in this House, has been working to ensure that the Tasmanian economy does diversify and does it in a sustainable way. The truth is that the Tasmanian economy, like all of Australia, is an economy in transition, but the Tasmanian economy has a hugely strong future, and members on this side of the House know it.

Think of the comparative advantages that Tasmania has: clean air, clean energy, clean water, sustainable industries. Given that they, like so many other parts of the economy, are being impacted by a high dollar that takes competitiveness away, we need to find ways in which to make those industries and those comparative advantages more competitive.

We are in the circumstance of the greatest economic transformation the world has known. It is not just coming from China; it is coming from Asia; it is coming from India. Those on the other side want to stick their heads in the sand and do not think they need to play a role in it. We do.

The Prime Minister and the Premier of Tasmania signed a partnership agreement. I have been to Tasmania more than half-a-dozen times since that framework was put in place to talk about the detail. Forestry is an important part of this equation. We have the opportunity for the first time, through that agreement, to move to a forest products industry based on a sustainable resource. If we are able to move to a sustainable resource, why wouldn't we want to value-add to it? And that is what we want to do.

The trouble is that we have people down there seeking to run the industry down, while those who are in the Liberal Party in Tasmania sit silent. I say that when you enter an agreement you have to honour it. The agreement that was entered was to ensure that there would be wood supply—and that is what we say the Greens and all of the NGOs need to do. I say, and we know, that if this agreement falls over there will be no increase in reserves, no social licence and no ballast to underpin the industry. But listen—

See this speech in context