Mr PASIN (Barker) (13:59): Forestry is an important and sometimes
underappreciated contributor to our national economy. Locally, in forest
regions like that of my home town in the Green Triangle, there’s an innate
sense of how important the forest industry is, which is why I was thrilled to
hear that Timberlink is investing in the region again. The company is investing
$90 million over the next three years in upgrading its mill at Tarpeena and
will increase both the volume of the renewable plantation pine logs process and
the yield per log. This is fantastic news for the region in the long term,
helping to ensure the mill remains internationally competitive. Currently, the
mill supports over 680 jobs directly and many more indirectly and contributes
over $180 million to the local economy. This investment will help create and
secure an addition 210 permanent full-time positions.