March 7, 2014
Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester has welcomed the Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s commitment to support the Australian timber industry, during this term of Parliament.
Mr Chester attended the Forestworks Dinner in Parliament House this week where Mr Abbott highlighted the environmental credentials of the Australian timber industry.
“Gippsland has a vibrant timber industry and it was good to hear the Prime Minister speaking out strongly in favour of regional jobs and a balanced approached to environmental management,” Mr Chester said.
“The extreme ideology of the city-based Greens has severely damaged regional communities but the new Federal Government is indicating that it will have a more balanced approach to forestry issues.
“We will support sustainable, long-term investment and give the timber industry the respect it deserves as a valuable contributor to our nation.”
Mr Abbott told the industry leaders that he didn’t support locking out the timber industry from areas which could be sustainably harvested.
“…when I look out tonight at an audience of people who work with timber, who work in forests, I don’t see people who are environmental bandits, I see people who are the ultimate conservationists,” Mr Abbott said.
“For three years you were officially frowned upon here in Canberra because we had – I regret to say – a government that was over influenced by the Greens.
“We don’t support, as a Government and as a Coalition, further lockouts of our forests. We just don’t support it.
“We want the timber industry to be a vital part of Australia’s economic future, not just something that was a relic of our history. That’s what this Government wants.
“The forestry industry of this country has done great things for this building and may it do great things for so many more buildings in our country and around the world in the years and the decades to come.”
Pictured: Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester introduced Australian Sustainable Hardwoods General Manager Vince Hurley to Prime Minister Tony Abbott at the Forestworks Dinner in Parliament House this week.