The Labor Opposition in Tasmania says that regardless of what the Greens, the Jacqui Lambie Network or the independents do in the new Parliament, it will continue to stand with the timber industry and the jobs it sustains. Source: Timberbiz
And the Opposition leader Dean Winter has offered the State Government bipartisan support for the forestry industry.
“Labor supports jobs in regional Tasmania. It is what we believe in and what we fight for,” Mr Winter said.
“I am making it my priority to talk to workers in key industries in the regions including those in the timber industry.
“Labor stands for jobs in regional communities and the timber industry is a key part of that.”
Mr Winter said that Labor’s candidate for the Legislative Council seat of Prosser, Bryan Green, as a former Minister for Resources, has the experience and knowledge to work with the industry to protect jobs without reigniting the chaos and uncertainty of the forestry wars.
“The industry doesn’t want another forest war, nor do Tasmanians,” Mr Winter said.
“My offer to Jeremy Rockliff is bipartisanship on forestry. The industry has repeatedly said it does not want the reopen the forest wars, Labor agrees and that should be respected by the Premier.”
Mr Winter said that the best thing that could happen for the Bob Brown Foundation and the Greens was another forest war.
“It would be the worst thing that could happen to these workers,” he said.
The Liberal government needs to stop treating the industry as a political wedge and instead work with it and with Labor to ensure there is long-term certainty for jobs and the economy.”
Voters in the seats of Hobart, Elwick and Prosser will go to the polls on May 4.
