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

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 91.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that:

(i)

the closure of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) wool scour at Belmont in Victoria will impact on thousands of Australian individuals, small businesses and a number of large Australian companies,

(ii)

the CSIRO scouring plant is vital infrastructure to businesses, researchers and enterprises associated with the Australian speciality fibre industries (ultra and superfine wools, coloured wool, cashmere, mohair, alpaca and commercial processors) and small lot wool processors, and

(iii)

it is the only scour in Australia commercially scouring small lots and coloured fibre and its closure will threaten the viability of industry members and force others offshore for processing; and

(b)

further notes the efforts of the Government to date and calls on the Government to ensure that the CSIRO scouring plant is not decommissioned and, if privatised, is required to prioritise research and development and provide ongoing long-term access to scouring services in Victoria for the speciality fibre industries and small lot wool processors.

Question agreed to.