Rod Bender and PM Tony Abbott
… Deputy Liberal Leader and Tasmanian Business Leader
Independent Senator for Tasmania Jacqui Lambie has organized a meeting between the General Manager of Norske Skog paper Manufacturer Rod Bender and Prime Minister Tony Abbot to discuss a plan to boost and expand the Tasmanian Freight Equalization Scheme to include products bound for export.
“It won’t come as a shock to most Australians, when I say that I’m not the PM’s biggest fan, however I have to give him credit today for meeting with Norske Skog GM Ray Bender. This was a pressure packed day for Mr Abbott who retained his political leadership of Australia by the skin of his teeth after a hostile party room meeting this morning.
None the less, on this historic day, Mr Abbott kept a long standing appointment and meet with one of Tasmania’s biggest employers and exporters. This was an important meeting for 10,000 Tasmanian workers, because that’s the number of people who could loose their jobs if a fairer Renewable Energy Target charging system is not established in my home state.” said Senator Lambie.
In addition, thousands of jobs are still at risk if goods made or grown in Tasmania and being shipped to Melbourne for export, are not included in the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation scheme.
Mr Bender made that point very eloquently and clearly to both Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Deputy Liberal leader and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who also joined the meeting. ”said Senator Lambie.
“ The Prime Minister specifically stated during Mr Bender’s comprehensive briefing that he didn’t rule out boosting the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme by tens of millions of dollars and also including export goods in the scheme.
Along with a promise from both the PM and Foreign Minister to organise more high level meetings around the issue of the cost of transporting goods across Bass Strait, I take heart from today’s high level meetings and political discussions. The ball is now firmly in the PM’s and Liberal Party of Tasmania’s court.
They can’t plead ignorance if our 6 big Industries find it unprofitable or unviable to conduct export businesses in Tasmania – and begin to sack workers. If that happens it will be because the PM and Liberal Party of Tasmania have betrayed our big businesses and their workers” said Senator Lambie.
Rob Messenger
