Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Senator Ludwig) to a question without notice asked by Senator Milne today relating to Forestry Tasmania.

Today we saw the Greens' latest shameful instalment of an unconscionable campaign for gaining a commercial advantage for its multimillionaire mate Mr Wood, a man who donated $1.6 million to the Greens. The Greens have manically pursued the bid by Mr Wood against another commercial player for a particular property in Tasmania and their manic pursuit of this can only be explained in terms of the huge donation that they received.

Let us go through the facts. Before the last election Mr Wood made a donation to the Greens of $1.6 million, the largest donation ever in Australian politics. Fact 2: the donation was personally negotiated with Senator Brown, who said afterwards he was 'forever grateful'. Mr Wood said in relation to this deal that helping the Greens win the balance of power in the Senate was 'probably a good return on investment'. There you have the facts: Senator Brown forever grateful; Mr Wood saying that it would be a good return on investment. Here we have the Australian Greens now, not only day after day but week after week, pursuing the commercial interests of one Mr Wood. Be it at question time in this place, the address at the National Press Club, getting access to the minister's office or even answering a question at a press conference about foreign investment, what was front of mind for Senator Brown? It was the Triabunna mill that he wanted his mate to be able to buy.

Let us go through the chronology. On 11 June, Senator Brown issued a press release promoting his mate's business venture. On 15 June, he asked a question to help his mate's bid. On 16 June, he asked another question to help his mate's bid. On 28 June, Senator Milne told ABC radio that it would be inappropriate for the state government to assist the person or company that was bidding against their green mate. On 29 June, Senator Brown could not help himself—he had to raise this issue at the National Press Club. On 30 June, at a news conference on foreign ownership, he had to raise his mate's case yet again. On 4 July, Senator Milne pressed the minister in this place trying to demand that the competitor not be supported. On 4 July, she then took note of the answer to promote the case even further. On 4 July, she even said about the competitor to Mr Wood—the $1.6 million donor to the Greens—that it had 24 shareholders and a valuation of $24 to buy a multimillion dollar woodchip mill. How outrageous! I have done the business search, I have done the company search and Mr Wood has got a shelf company as well with a value of $60 for a multimillion dollar site. Oh my good­ness, what tangled webs we weave.

The Greens have been caught out. They condemn Aprin with a $24 shelf company bidding for this venture. If that is to be condemned, why should not the Greens' multimillionaire mate also be condemned for his $60 shelf company? The list goes on. On 4 July, one of the state Greens said that if the state government supports this venture they will bring down the state government. This is the sort of bidding that the Greens do: they hector and they lecture us on this side and elsewhere in Australian politics about the evil of donations and how they corrupt the political system, and here we have it writ large that the Greens have—and I see Senator Rhiannon in the chamber—democracy for sale.