STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator POLLEY (Tasmania) (13:32): I simply stand in this place unable to understand why the Liberal Party at a federal level in this chamber and in the Tasmanian parliament are refusing to support the project which is going to inject $142 million into Rushy Lagoon. It is good economics. It is what is needed in northern Tasmania at a time when we've been seeing so many job losses.

This project alone will mean 190 jobs. It's about securing timber for our housing industry. It's about sustainable jobs.

It's about investment in sawmills. It's about creating opportunities for locals living in the north-east of Tasmania. We need to support sustainable timber production and deliver significant regional economic benefits.

That's what Rushy Lagoon investment is going to do. The Clean Energy Finance Corporation has described Rushy Lagoon as a project that will create local jobs, support sustainable timber production and deliver significant regional development. The Liberals believe that they're all so much better at managing the economy.

We know, in northern Tasmania, we have already lost 42 jobs from Boag's, which is closing down in Launceston. Liberty Bell Bay has closed, losing 240 jobs, and there's still the spend off from that as well. But we also know that the Tasmanian government have yet failed to reach an agreement with the supply of electricity to Comalco at Bell Bay.

There are hundreds and hundreds of jobs there as well. They're failing in their leadership, and to have Senator Colbeck come into this chamber and try to move for an inquiry into this is really unfathomable. Tasmanians deserve better.

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