Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-02-16 Daily Xml

Contents

FORESTRYSA

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:28): I have a supplementary question. Does the minister dispute her Chief Executive's email, where it says that the current rotation length is 38 years and the average clear fall age will drop and stay between 32 and 35 years? There is no mention of 25 to 30 years.

An honourable member interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Does the minister stand by her statements or does she support her Chief Executive?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (14:28): I was given advice, and the advice I received was that the average length was between 25 and 30 years. I do understand that there is a considerable degree of variation in that. The Chief Executive is giving the figures he has been advised, and I have given the figures I have been advised.

What sticks in the craw of the opposition leader is that I do, in fact, know something about this. I came into this place and actually did know what I was talking about, and he can't stand it, he simply can't stand it. It sticks in his craw, so he sits here today bobbing up and down and making an absolute fool of himself. He can do that. He can go right ahead and do that.

I had indicated that, on average, that is in the rough vicinity but, like I said, it sticks in his craw that I come into this place and know something about it. It sticks in his craw that I actually know something about it. So, he can bob up and down until he is blue in the face but, as I said, he is clearly here misleading this place and he is clearly trying to be mischievous.