The Hodgman government is trying to hide scrutiny of its Legislative Council amended and contentious Forestry (Rebuilding the Forest Industry) Bill 2014, by moving to ram it through the Lower House late this evening,” Greens Leader and Forestry spokesperson Kim Booth MP said.
“Clearly, this obnoxious ‘wreck forest future Bill’ is so fatally flawed the Hodgman regime is trying to slip it in under the cover of darkness after 6 pm tonight,” Mr Booth said.
“This is a cowardly tactic to avoid public, stakeholder and media scrutiny.”
“People will not forget that the Liberals gagged the initial debate on this shocker of a Bill when it first was put to the Assembly, that they then tried to ram the heavily amended Bill back through the Lower House on State Budget day with barely one hour of debate allocated, and then they resort to bringing it on under the cover of darkness.”
“It is hard to tell whether the Hodgman government is trying to distract from its cruel Budget or distract from its lack of a forestry plan, but what is clear is the arrogant contempt with which the Liberals are treating the Parliament and the community.”
“This is another shameful example of the blind arrogance of the Hodgman regime wanting to reduce the Parliament to a mere rubber stamp,” Mr Booth said.