Senator Ricky Muir
His workplace is now the Australian Senate, but it was back to a sawmill in Victoria’s east on Monday for Ricky Muir. Source: Yahoo
The Motoring Enthusiast Party senator reflected on the job he held before starting in the Senate last year.
“I think I spent, from memory, on this site five years, maybe a little bit more,” he told reporters at the Heyfield processing plant.
“It was quite an enjoyable industry to work in – I absolutely loved it.
“I loved getting my hands dirty and working with timber [and] the smell of timber. It is just a good industry to work in.”
Wearing a suit, tie and fluorescent vest, Senator Muir walked the grounds of the Gippsland facility as he promoted the forestry industry.
The crossbencher has voiced an industry video promoting forestry’s sustainability credentials.
“I am very happy to be providing support for Australia’s timber industry,” he said in a statement.
“Not only is it an industry which put food on the table for my family and I for many years, but it also provides income for some 21,000 Victorians.”
Australian Sustainable Hardwoods chief Vince Hurley praised his former employee.
“Ricky is his own man,” he said. “To have someone in Canberra with on-the-ground experience and on-the-ground common sense is a great thing for everybody.”
Senator Muir also said talks with the Government have slowed over the Renewable Energy Target.
The Coalition and Labor are at loggerheads over the target, which mandates that 20% of Australia’s energy must come from renewable sources by 2020.
The Industry Minister wants to cut the target to 32,000 gigawatt hours and says he is deep in negotiations with the Senate crossbench.
Senator Muir wants bipartisan agreement on a new target.
“Right now the industry needs bipartisan support so if that comes at a lower rate at least it is a safe floor that the Opposition can at least go to the election and try to raise.”
