Member for Barker Tony Pasin MP joined over 500 forestry industry leaders in Canberra last night for the biggest event on the industry calendar – the Australian Forest Product Association’s Industry Gala Dinner and Awards night.Held in the Great Hall in Parliament House, Mr Pasin joined Green Triangle business leaders from the South East at the dinner where industry heard from a number of guest speakers including the Prime Minister about developing a new government plan that will underpin growth in the renewable timber and wood-fibre industry.
Formally addressing the Gala as co-convener of the Parliamentary Friends of Forestry and Forest Products, Mr Pasin reflected on the great progress being made in Canberra through the establishment of the group.
“I was dismayed upon being elected to the Federal Parliament in 2013 at the lack of discussions taking place within our Nation’s Parliament regarding the industry and its contribution to our economy,” Mr Pasin told the dinner.
“Worse still, I observed that to the extent these conversations did take place they seemed to be hyper-politicised. The aim of forming Parliamentary Friendship group was to raise awareness of the industry and its potential for economic growth in a non-partisan way,” Mr Pasin said.
Mr Pasin noted that, “It is no coincidence that the last election was the first in living memory that did not involve a toxic and ultimately harmful policy battle between the major political parties around forestry.”
Mr Pasin said through the Parliamentary Friendship Group, together with its co-convener Shadow Minister for Agriculture Joel Fitzgibbon, he was looking forward to continuing to work in a bi-partisan way to achieve policy outcomes that will ensure the sustainability of the industry.
Contact: Charlotte Edmunds 8531 2466
