Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I will make a couple of points. The interesting thing in the conspiracy theories that the minister put forward is that he has no basis for them other than to advance them as the usual scare tactics of a government that has little to say on these matters. The curiosity with which the public must view these statements and the contortions that are necessary to come to the conclusions are mind blowing. Because we have not announced a forest policy and because there is some alleged agreement with the Greens about preferences in New South Wales, that must mean we have a forest policy! Because Mr Garrett is the environment minister, he is a major issue for Tasmanian forestry—but, on the other hand, why doesn’t Mr Garrett come to Tasmania to look at forestry! Which particular contortion are we supposed to focus on? If Mr Garrett is supposed to come to Tasmania and focus on forestry, is that because the minister expects that there is something in him seeing the industry which will be germane to more reservations, or something like that? I am not sure where the minister is coming from. The classic position of this minister is, when you do not have any facts to justify an argument, you throw a few scare allegations out there and base your whole argument on those scare tactics.