Thursday, 19 October 2023

 Peter WALSH (Murray Plains) (14:33): My question is to the Premier. When questioned about the adequacy of the support package for the early closure of the native timber industry the former Premier told PAEC:

My commitment to you is: if we have to go further beyond this $200 million … then we will.

Does the Premier stand by the commitment of the former Premier to the hardworking families of the native timber industry that if more money is needed for a fair compensation package, it will be provided?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:34): I thank the member for Murray Plains, the Leader of the National Party, for his question on this matter. I know he and his colleagues have a great priority on this issue, and a number of members of his party have spoken to me directly about this issue over a number of years now. I understand the importance of this issue to the Leader of the National Party, which is why I will not engage in some of the other political theatre we sometimes engage in here on this question. I recall very clearly the former Premier making that commitment. I am absolutely prepared to stand by that commitment made by the former Premier. I understand very keenly how difficult any industry transition can be. We have seen the automotive industry transition and in this instance the forestry industry transition. I know how keenly this can be felt by any community but particularly really small country communities where these businesses are the biggest businesses in town – the biggest private sector businesses indeed – so I am very willing to continue to engage with the Leader of the National Party and his colleagues on this matter.

 Peter WALSH (Murray Plains) (14:35): The former Premier also gave a commitment in PAEC that his door was open to meet with the native timber industry representatives to discuss if there was enough money allocated to ensure there was a fair compensation package for hardworking families. Will the Premier personally meet with representatives of the Australian Forest Contractors Association to discuss their concerns about the inadequacies of the current compensation package?

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:35): I thank the Leader of the National Party for his question. I am always willing to meet and talk with people who are affected by government decisions, and I would hope that as I have engaged with the Leader of the National Party on this question at this point in question time we continue to have an engagement that perhaps is not played out on the floor of the Parliament and we can have those conversations with industry representatives, including unions as well, who are an important part of this industry transition. Indeed it was only a couple of months ago – it was in August – I visited McNulty’s timber in Benalla and sat down and spent a couple of hours there with the owners of that mill and had a long conversation about the transition and what it meant for them, and particularly the message that I took away from that conversation was that the industry needs certainty. This is an industry that has had considerable uncertainty from court decisions particularly that have been made that have affected the future of the industry, and we will continue to work with the industry on these matters.