Thursday, 2 May 2024

Great forest national park

Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:07): (511) My question is to the Minister for Regional Development. Minister, has your department done any modelling on the loss to small businesses in communities like Alexandra, Eildon, Erica, Healesville, Marysville, Noojee, Warburton and Yarra Junction if your government establishes a great forest national park, banning traditional recreational activities such as prospecting and fossicking, horseriding, four-wheel driving, trail bike riding and hunting?

The PRESIDENT: I am just a bit concerned that is a hypothetical question.

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Okay, I will concede to the much greater intelligence.

Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Regional Development) (12:08): President, can I suggest that this question is probably better directed to the Minister for Environment.

Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:08): Minister, in your department you are responsible for regional development, and if these activities – prospecting, horseriding, four-wheel driving, trail bike riding and hunting – are banned under a proposed venture to create the great forest national park, why are you not tasking your department to build the economic case on how many jobs will be lost in towns that are already suffering now because the Allan government has closed the native timber industry?

The PRESIDENT: The issue I have is that a minister can answer on a particular issue if the question does not fall within their portfolio and falls within another portfolio. Therefore the supplementary is difficult to put, but I will let the minister answer as she sees fit.

Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Regional Development) (12:09): Again, as with the substantive, this is more of a matter for the Minister for Environment, and at best it is a question that is laden with ifs, maybes and hypotheticals.