2016-05-05
The Australian Greens support the use of Australian paper if it is paper produced from plantation stock and from recycled stock, so it does not involve the destruction of native forests and the destruction of our precious wildlife, including Leadbeater's possums in the forests of the central highlands of Victoria. Australia is perfectly capable of making paper and having Australian jobs.
Australia is perfectly capable of making paper that would create Australian jobs and support Australian industry that is produced from plantations and recycled sources. That is the direction we need to be heading in to make sure that we can get over this divide between protecting our forests and protecting jobs. There should not be a divide. With 85 per cent of the wood products that come from Australia already sourced from plantations, we need to increase this to 100 per cent.
Amendment to motion:
I move the motion as amended:
That the Senate—
(a) notes that:
(i) it is likely that a federal election will be held on Saturday, 2 July 2016,
(ii) it is estimated that some 40 million ballot papers will be required on election day, which is equivalent to some 700 tonnes of paper, and
(iii) Australia is capable of producing the quantity and quality of paper required for ballot papers as well as other election material to be printed for the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) for the 2016 Federal Election; and
(b) calls on the Government to require the use of Australian paper sourced from plantation or recycled sources for ballot papers and other election materials produced for the AEC.