Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Babet, I know you've attempted to transform yourself into Inspector Clouseau by solving the mystery there, but I'm afraid to say that you're incorrect there. You are correct that the current Prime Minister did make a commitment to Tasmanian forestry workers and Tasmanian forestry communities heading into the election: that this government would not shut down Tasmania's forestry industry. I can't remember the exact terms of that commitment. I know that was a commitment that Senator Duniam welcomed, but more so the Tasmanian senators sitting on this side of the chamber, who very much appreciate the importance of the forestry industry to Tasmania. That's exactly why we are, as I said before, investing in our forestry industry, because we do want to see it continue. It's not going to remain exactly the same. As I say, there is an increase in plantation timber going on. But we're investing $300 million to modernise this industry, upskill its workers to be able to use the higher forms of technology that are coming online, build those plantation estates and continue to undertake native forestry.