❓ Mr Catania questions the government's trustworthiness regarding forestry investments after a sawmill closure. The Premier deflects by questioning the opposition's stance on logging and highlighting the government's investment in transition programs.
AnsweredQoN 280Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FORESTRY —
GREENBUSHES SAWMILL — CLOSURE
280. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Two
years ago the government told the industry to invest in mills, and now mills
are closing. Can anyone trust what the government says about this industry?
GREENBUSHES SAWMILL — CLOSURE
280. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Two
years ago the government told the industry to invest in mills, and now mills
are closing. Can anyone trust what the government says about this industry?
AnswerView source ↗
Will the Liberals' and
Nationals' policy at the next election be to start logging forests
again? That is the alternative. Is that the opposition's policy?
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, do not
worry. I picked up the Liberals' comments as well, and do not worry; we
know all that. We have all the comments that the opposition has made, so it
will be a clear choice for people in 2025. Do they want parties—the
Liberals and Nationals—that want to knock over the native forests of
one of the most successful and wealthy states in the world, or do they want a party
that will continue to preserve our forests as best we can and create the
climate benefit that comes with that? I can guarantee members that if I went to
the electorate of the Leader of the Liberal Party and asked the people there
what they wanted, I know whose side they would be on. They would not be on his
side. I suspect that if they knew the member for Cottesloe, we would have won
that seat as well!
We are investing a large amount of
money into a transition program. We are working with industries to assist
individual businesses. We are working with individuals. There is a whole team
of people working on this, exactly as we did when we stopped the logging of
old-growth forests in 2001. It was a defining issue and one of the reasons that
Richard Court lost office in 2001:� he wanted to keep on logging old-growth
forests against the wishes of the people of the state. We are actually a very
successful and wealthy state. I mean, honestly—a very successful and
wealthy state continuing to log its old-growth forest when the workers involved
can get higher pay and better jobs elsewhere in the current environment. Why
would we do that? Why would the opposition advocate that? What sort of
opposition do we have in Western Australia? What sort of political parties are
you? What are you? It is hard to understand, but I think the people of Western Australia
understand.
Nationals' policy at the next election be to start logging forests
again? That is the alternative. Is that the opposition's policy?
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Well, do not
worry. I picked up the Liberals' comments as well, and do not worry; we
know all that. We have all the comments that the opposition has made, so it
will be a clear choice for people in 2025. Do they want parties—the
Liberals and Nationals—that want to knock over the native forests of
one of the most successful and wealthy states in the world, or do they want a party
that will continue to preserve our forests as best we can and create the
climate benefit that comes with that? I can guarantee members that if I went to
the electorate of the Leader of the Liberal Party and asked the people there
what they wanted, I know whose side they would be on. They would not be on his
side. I suspect that if they knew the member for Cottesloe, we would have won
that seat as well!
We are investing a large amount of
money into a transition program. We are working with industries to assist
individual businesses. We are working with individuals. There is a whole team
of people working on this, exactly as we did when we stopped the logging of
old-growth forests in 2001. It was a defining issue and one of the reasons that
Richard Court lost office in 2001:� he wanted to keep on logging old-growth
forests against the wishes of the people of the state. We are actually a very
successful and wealthy state. I mean, honestly—a very successful and
wealthy state continuing to log its old-growth forest when the workers involved
can get higher pay and better jobs elsewhere in the current environment. Why
would we do that? Why would the opposition advocate that? What sort of
opposition do we have in Western Australia? What sort of political parties are
you? What are you? It is hard to understand, but I think the people of Western Australia
understand.
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