Eastern Victoria Region
Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:55): (92) My constituency question is for the Minister for Agriculture, and it relates to timber supply. The suspension of the native timber industry due to third-party court litigation is having a detrimental influence on my Eastern Victorian constituents in terms of access to firewood. Now, we know that firewood can be an efficient and very low cost way of heating homes. Indeed in many cases it is the only form of heating that people have for their winter supply. Regional constituents are concerned that the minister has not considered the impact the government’s lack of action on closing the loophole in the timber code of practice and subsequent ban on timber harvesting is having on this supply. Will the minister guarantee adequate firewood supplies are available to my constituents who rely on this for heating their homes?