Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, because, as Senator Ciccone says, it is about jobs in regional communities. It is about being able to provide for these communities and ensure that they can send their kids to school, put food on the table, pay the mortgage and keep the lights on. But Senator Rice, with her disallowance here, wants us to find any way to penalise this industry—it's not enough that they were hit with the bushfires—and we want to help them get more from less. We want them to be able to get more resources out of the timber that remains in the reserves that they have access to. It's not enough that they've been hit by COVID and it's not enough that we have export issues at the moment. We want to do as much as we can to value-add here, not send our raw products overseas—

Senator Rice interjecting—

Senator Rice says 'if only' once again. My door is always open. Pop on in. Let's talk about a constructive plan to grow this industry. If you're a supporter, as you say you are, of 90-odd per cent of the industry then come on down with a plan to grow the industry, not shut it down, talk it down or damage the brand. Senator Rice, my door remains open every day of the week I'm here. Come and see me in Tassie. Let's go and do a tour.