Raff Ciccone at Heyfield
Labor Senator Raff Ciccone has again attacked the Federal Government for what he sees as a lack of support and direction for the nation’s timber industry. Source: Timberbiz
Speaking in the Senate yesterday, Senator Ciccone said that when managed sustainably Australia’s forests provide essential materials for many industries, particularly construction.
“It is often unfairly criticised and attacked by many who wouldn’t know the first thing about how the industry operates,” he said.
“These people do not stop to think about the impact of their misguided activism on the lives and livelihoods of the many workers, families and regional communities who rely on jobs in forestry.”
He said that “these people are not the only threat to forestry”.
“There has also been a lack of support and direction from the coalition government.
“The Liberals and the Nationals have made a habit of announcing support for forestry prior to an election and not following through whilst in government.”
In November last year Senator Ciccone attacked the Federal Government for “barely mentioning” forestry or wood processing in its net zero carbon emissions strategy.
“By treating net zero as a political problem rather than an economic opportunity, the Coalition are overlooking the impacts their decisions will have on industries and on workers,” Senator Ciccone said last year.
He also said at the time that activists needed to understand that attacking the timber industry was not going to prevent climate change.
“You are targeting an industry that needs to get bigger, not smaller, to protect our planet,” he said.
Senator Ciccone said yesterday that despite the coalition’s promise at the last election to plant one billion trees, under their watch Australia’s plantation estate had shrunk by 500 million trees, down 10 per cent since they formed government.
“Now, right before an election, we have an announcement from the Prime Minister: to plant 150 million trees. But how can we trust him or his government?
“How can we believe anything that they say?
“We as a country should strive to be self-sufficient, rather than relying on imported materials like timber,” Senator Ciccone said.
“We must invest in domestic manufacturing, create jobs and secure our supply chains. Australia cannot afford to lock in another timber shortage crisis, and we cannot afford another term of this Liberal-National government.”
