2016-03-23
Ms DUNN (Eastern Metropolitan) — My question is to the Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade. In light of the 13 logging coupe burns either underway or coming up in the next 10 days in the Toolangi-Healesville region, what work has he undertaken to measure any detrimental impacts on the myriad small businesses that underpin the hospitality, winemaking and tourism sectors in the Yarra Valley region?
Mr DALIDAKIS (Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade) — I thank the member for her question, and I welcome the very first question that I have received from anyone in the Greens political party in relation to small business. I welcome her support for small businesses, and I note with some enthusiasm that small businesses also operate within the timber industry that Minister Pulford represents so well. In relation to any specific questions the member has in relation to the timber industry, I suggest she direct her question directly to Minister Pulford, and if she has concerns about the impacts of logging activities in local towns, then that is germane to the Minister for Agriculture, not me. Notwithstanding — —
Ms DUNN — On a point of order, President, my question was framed purposely around small businesses that underpin hospitality, winemaking and tourism, and I do not believe that the minister has answered the question.
The PRESIDENT — Order! At this stage the minister still has 3 minutes and 7 seconds in which he could address those matters, and I trust that he will. Mr Dalidakis, to continue.
Mr DALIDAKIS — Again, any impact that the member believes that the timber industry has on local communities is best directed to the Minister for Agriculture. Notwithstanding that, what I can tell Ms Dunn is that local traders in areas where there is timber activity benefit from the fact that there is increased employment within that town, so local businesses in those communities are certainly better off for having the timber industry around them, because they have more people to frequent their businesses, spend their disposable incomes and certainly participate as local members of communities do. But should the member have any concerns about the timber industry impacting upon local communities, as I said, she should direct that to Ms Pulford.
Supplementary question
Ms DUNN — I thank the minister for his answer. My supplementary question is: what actions will the minister undertake to mitigate the impact of logging coupe regeneration burns on the Yarra Valley wine growers who are concerned about smoke taint affecting their fruit harvest and those tourism operators whose livelihoods over the busy Easter and school holiday time are threatened by the presence of smoke haze in the Yarra Valley?
Mr DALIDAKIS — I thank Ms Dunn for her question. What I can tell her is that I have had no representations, as far as I am aware, to my office in relation to the issues that she has raised. There is very little that I can do about matters that have not been raised with me, and if she has any concerns, then I am happy for her to furnish me with them or I am happy for her, obviously, to raise them with Ms Pulford.