Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to support the motion for the suspension of standing orders so that this matter can take precedence. I note that Senator Colbeck from the coalition moved a motion on Tasmanian forestry but two days ago, considering it was urgent. When the coalition want to talk about Tasmanian forestry matters, it is urgent, it comes on in this context and formality is granted. But when anybody else wants to discuss the Tasmanian forests and the intergovernmental agreement, suddenly it is not urgent and it does not need debating. What is more, the coalition at that point denied leave to amend the motion. Not only did they deny that; they are now here denying a motion formality in exactly the context they raised theirs a matter of days ago.

I want to put on the record a number of things in relation to this. This motion basically points out that the coalition is denying any money to Tasmania to facilitate a transition out of native forest logging, which the industry wants. That is the point: the industry wants the transition out of native forest logging.