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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-02-08 Daily Xml
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FORESTRYSA

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:41): I have a supplementary question, Mr President. If no decision has been made, why has Treasury factored into the forward estimates the revenue from the sale of the forests?

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for Gambling) (14:41): I do not recall actually talking about what the Treasury figures were but, as I said, the 2008-09 Mid-Year Budget Review—quite some time ago—indicated that the government would investigate the sale of these forward rotations. So it has been indicated for quite a long time.

Of course, we want to be up-front with people about what is being considered. If we said nothing in the budget and then got up one day and said, 'Hey, we are selling the forward rotations of our forests,' imagine the cries of outrage that would come from the honourable members opposite. They would say, 'How dare you spring this on people. You didn't tell them, you didn't consult them and you didn't investigate it properly.'

In the 2008-09 Mid-Year Budget Review we first indicated that we are investigating the sale of the forward rotations of forests and we have now engaged a consulting firm to produce a regional impact statement. So, we have not sprung this on people. Of course, we are being up-front about what is being considered, and people will have the opportunity to have their say and then the government will consider what decision it will make.

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