Dr WOODRUFF question to PREMIER, Mr ROCKLIFF
You are a corporate pushover and everyone knows it. You folded to Gil McLachlan and now the Brazilian butchers jailed for industrial-scale corruption are lining up to get everything their family wants. Joesley Batista testified to bribing nearly 2000 Brazilian politicians, calling it 'the rule of the game', and saying, 'What's most important is corruption in the highest office'.
At your cosy Liberal Party donor dinner last year, you promised JBS and Cooke you would do everything global salmon wanted, even though you said it would not be popular. It is payday for the Batista's Liberal Party donation. Nephew Henry, who is in charge of their Tasmanian investment portfolio, has lashed our laws as time-consuming and expensive. They want to plunder on their own terms.
Are you going to roll over and sell out our marine environment, just like you have sold out people who are desperate for a home?
Ms O'Connor - Good question. Are you going to rewrite the rules for corrupt global corporations?
Mr SPEAKER - Order.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I reject that question. That question is an insult.
Dr Woodruff - Which part of it? You have never rejected the fact that the Liberal Party dinner happened in the past.
Mr SPEAKER - Order.
Mr ROCKLIFF - We will be making decisions in the best interests of all Tasmanians, absolutely, as we said yesterday, and we have done that over the course of the last nine years. That is why we have record low unemployment. That is why we have more people in work than ever before. That is why we have more women participating in our workforce than ever before. That is why when we deliver our Budget tomorrow we will not be raising taxes like they are doing in Victoria and shutting down a native forest industry.
What we will always continue to do is value our resource-based sectors unashamedly, whether that be salmon, forestry, farmers and fishers or indeed our miners, and we will not listen to your rubbish.
We have a salmon industry with a production value of some $1 billion, making it the single biggest primary industry in the state with some 2000 permanent and casual employees statewide.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER - Order. If members wish to have a discussion around the Chamber, you can go outside; otherwise you will listen to the answer that the Premier is giving.
Mr ROCKLIFF - We have produced a salmon plan for the future that allows for industry growth and is centred on innovation, continuous improvement and world-leading practices. One of the four key principles underpinning our salmon plan is to ensure world's best practice through continuous improvement when it comes to regulation and transparency and the introduction of contemporary environmental standards for marine finfish farming that will further strengthen the current regulatory system when it comes to environment regulations.
Ms O'Connor - That's not what they want.
Mr SPEAKER - Order.
Mr ROCKLIFF - We are about balance. We are about growth. We are about ensuring we have regulations that maintain and strengthen environmental regulation and builds community confidence in our salmon industry. We are proud of the industry.
Dr Woodruff interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER - Dr Woodruff, order.
Mr ROCKLIFF - I know that you want it shut down, like you want native forestry shut down as well.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER - Order. The House will come to order. The Premier has an opportunity to answer that question. It was asked in good faith and it should be listened to in good faith. The Premier has his views. Other people might have other views but this is not the time to chatter across the Chamber.
Mr ROCKLIFF - We will always support the growth of our resource-based industries, our mining, our forestry, our fishers, and our agriculture, unashamedly.
Dr Woodruff - They'll get everything they want. You can't stand up to the bullies.
Mr SPEAKER - Order, Dr Woodruff, why is it so difficult to understand the premise that people can have different views? You do not have to interject on the Premier. It is against the Standing Orders. If you do it again, I will ask you to leave.