Interview with Greg Jennett, ABC Afternoon Briefing

E&OE TRANSCRIPT
TELEVISION INTERVIEW
ABC AFTERNOON BRIEFING
TUESDAY, 12 MARCH 2024

SUBJECTS: Albanese Government’s $100 million Australian Forest and Wood Innovations program; forestry; aged care; Israel-Gaza conflict

GREG JENNETT, HOST: Murray Watt, welcome back to the program. Now you're there in Tasmania announcing an extra $100 million in forestry research money, arguably big industry in the island state. What will this spending achieve?

MURRAY WATT, MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY: Yeah, well great to be with you, Greg, from Launceston. And as you can see, I'm actually at the University of Tasmania's Forestry Research Centre, where they train students, undertake research and even do some manufacturing of timber and wood products as well.

The Albanese Government went to the last election with a $300 million funding package to support the forestry industry. Obviously a very important source of wood products, everything from pallets to paper products to furniture and even building materials. And an important part of our commitment was to dedicate $100 million to a new forestry research centre that would be based here at the University of Tasmania in Launceston. What we know about our forestry industry is that it continues to be a source, a really important source, of building materials. But equally, what I think people are starting to understand is the role of forestry when it comes to carbon sequestration as well. If we want to reduce emissions, and of course we do, then having a viable forestry industry to suck up those carbon emissions is a really important part of us meeting our net zero goals.

But we need to do more research into how we can sustainably meet our forestry needs. We obviously need to balance the environmental needs around forests and biodiversity needs, while at the same time producing good quality wood and timber products and also supporting the communities that depend on this industry, like northern Tasmania. So it's been a great event here today to officially launch the Australian Forest and Woods Institute. And that is going to be driving that kind of research to generate a more sustainable timber industry going forward.

GREG JENNETT: OK, and are there any estimated spin-off benefits here in jobs growth or industry growth that would come with an investment of this sort?

MURRAY WATT: Absolutely. I mean, already the forestry industry right around Australia supports thousands of direct jobs and tens of thousands of indirect jobs. But what we know is that they're becoming more high tech, more high skilled jobs in the future. So there's a role there for training workers in the new technologies that are going to be coming into the industry. But really, what this commitment is about, more than anything is it's a core part of our Government's agenda to build a Future Made in Australia. You will have seen the Prime Minister and Ed Husic and other colleagues talking about rebuilding our manufacturing industry, doing more value, adding in Australia, building that sovereign capability and being able to build those carbon neutral products that we're going to need for construction in the future. And research like is going to be undertaken here will generate the jobs in those industries going forward.

GREG JENNETT: It does seem to me, sitting from afar, Murray Watt, that in the context of the state election campaign in Tasmania, forestry is again to the fore. The Rockliff Liberal Government, obviously seeking re-election now, has somewhat controversially promised to “unlock” 40,000 hectares of native forests. Now these would be hectares which had previously been locked away, to use that phrase, as part of funded compensation arrangements under forestry agreements. Would the Commonwealth see any unlocking of these 40,000 hectares as a breach of previously agreed and funded forestry arrangements?

MURRAY WATT: Well, Greg, as you would probably be aware, we do have in place regional forestry agreements between the Commonwealth Government and various states around forest management. The Tasmanian Liberal Government hasn't put out a lot of detail about this commitment, but from what we can see so far, it doesn't seem to involve a breach of the RFAs in Tasmania and it does seem to be a matter purely for the State Government to make its decision. What I would say about it, though, is that I think it's really unfortunate that we see the Tasmanian Liberal Government again try to use the forestry industry as a political football in the middle of an election campaign. This isn't something that they announced before a campaign. It's not something they consulted the forestry industry about. They've held onto this for the express purpose of throwing a wedge into the middle of an election campaign. And I got to say from the discussions I've been having with people in the forestry industry here, they're sick of being used as a political football. In fact, the Tasmanian forestry industry opposed the Liberal Government's policy when it made that announcement a couple of weeks ago. Everyone in the forestry industry wants to settle those culture wars, wants to actually think about a sensible, bipartisan future for this industry. But unfortunately, whether it's state or federal Liberals, they can't help themselves, whether it's cultural wars around utes or nuclear energy or now the forestry industry as well.

GREG JENNETT: All right, point taken, no doubt if we get the opportunity, we'll seek further details, if they exist, on that foreshadowed policy. Take you to a couple of other news issues of the day, Senator Watt if we can, aged care - I hope you've had some ability to get across the announcements made today in the task force report, but in a previous Parliament you spent a lot of time looking at aged care. We now have more of a user-pays proposal that will come to the fore. Looking at regional towns, though, might they need additional support in circumstances where they don't have the staff, they don't have the choice and in many cases, don't have the viability in country towns.

MURRAY WATT: Yeah, look, this is obviously a really important debate for our country, Greg, and I want to commend the work of my colleagues, Anika Wells and Mark Butler, for bringing these issues to the fore and putting together a very comprehensive report from the Aged Care Taskforce. I think all Australians remember the Royal Commission that we had into aged care and really, the dreadful handling of this issue by the former Government, leading to a report that was titled ‘Neglect’. And as someone who's got a father in aged care, I've got a real personal interest in making sure that we have an aged care system that really treats our older Australians with dignity going forward.

When it comes to rural and regional Australia, like in many service delivery areas, we do see tight markets for aged care. And I've certainly met people in Central Queensland, for example, who've had to leave town and move several hundred kilometres away in order to get a bed in an aged care facility well-removed from their family and friends. What we'd like to see is a situation in this country where people are able to access aged care closer to their homes and with good quality service standards. So I'm confident that under Anika and Mark's leadership, this system will be improved. We'll obviously be taking the time now to consider the recommendations of the taskforce, including on rural and regional care. But there's no doubt that our regions do need special attention on aged care.

GREG JENNETT: Yeah, and to be fair, it does seem to foreshadow more work specifically looking at the supports needed in country towns. Just finally, Murray Watt, the UN's Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, you probably heard your colleague Ed Husic last night saying we do need to see funding resumed as quickly as possible. But what are the preconditions for doing that, in the Government's view?

MURRAY WATT: Well obviously, Penny Wong, as the Foreign Minister, has been doing an enormous amount of work in this area. I think there's widespread recognition, not just within the Government, but right around the world, that we do need to see more aid delivered into Gaza at the moment, the conditions that people are living in are horrible and they clearly need help. The issues with UNRWA have been widely ventilated and it is appropriate that an investigation is undertaken there. But I know that Penny is working incredibly hard to have this situation resolved and to explore the best way to get aid in where it's most desperately needed.

GREG JENNETT: OK so the investigation, the outcome of the investigation, is the precondition that will determine that resumption?

MURRAY WATT: Well, I'll leave it for Penny to go into the specifics of this, but obviously that is one factor. But I know that Penny is working very closely with a number of other donor countries and the UN itself to ensure sure that the serious issues that were raised are addressed, but also importantly, to make sure that people get the aid that they need. We don't want to see people living in those kind of conditions without that aid getting through.

GREG JENNETT: Yeah, understood. Well look from Tasmanian forestry to the tragic events in the Middle East, I think we might draw a line under it there! Murray Watt, thanking you once again for being available for Afternoon Briefing. We'll talk soon, I'm sure.

MURRAY WATT: Thanks, Greg. Good to talk.