Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the opposition for their question. Of course, the forestry industry in Australia is facing several challenges including the continuation of the fallout from the global financial crisis and the recent strength of the Australian dollar. The annual value of Australia’s forests harvesting and processing industry was valued at $7.1 billion in 2008-09 and employed more than 64,000 people. Domestic demand for structural timber products increased significantly from the previous year.

When you look at the industry occurring in Tasmania you can see the value of what is harvested from native forests across Australia. In 2008-09 it was valued at $582 million. If you then have a look at the issues that surround the Tasmanian $20 million election commitment which the government made, you can see that it was very early on in my portfolio. Within a week of my appointment I visited Tasmania to announce the $20 million promise, which was an election commitment made to the Tasmanian forest industry. In doing so, it was very important to hear from harvest contractors, the timber industry itself and the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union about the timber industry and the issues they were confronted with in the downturn of the industry in Tasmania. It was also important to look at the structure of this assistance package we could provide to the Tasmanian industry. What I have said, and what the industry expects, is that within a very short period— (Time expired)