House of Assembly Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2) 54 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Timber Industry Timber Industry Mr BELL House of Assembly Mount Gambier Timber Industry Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (14:54): Can the minister confirm that the $500,000 investment in the Bordertown intermodal actually diverts raw log product from local processors directly to Chinese exports? The Hon. D.K.B. BASHAM House of Assembly Finniss Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Timber Industry The Hon. D.K.B. BASHAM (Finniss—Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development) (14:54): I thank the member for Mount Gambier for his question. It is important that we improve the mobility of the timber so it's able to reach the markets. My understanding is there are many movements across the country at the moment in relation to timber. The demand for timber in Australia is enormously strong. We no longer have control of those forests in the South-East: they were sold by the previous government to the private sector. We can't dictate where that timber goes, so we now can't have that control. We are working with the industry where we can— Ms Luethen House of Assembly Ms Luethen: Shame! The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order, member for King! The Hon. D.K.B. BASHAM House of Assembly The Hon. D.K.B. BASHAM: —to bring new timber to the market to make sure that the houses that we require are built, to make sure there is the opportunity for builders in South Australia to source timber.