Penola Pulp Mill Authorisation Bill

This speech is to indicate that the Liberal Party will be supporting the Penola Pulp Mill Authorisation Bill.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (21:56): I wish to make a brief contribution to the third reading. As previously indicated, the Liberal Party will support this bill, but I would like to echo some of the comments made by previous speakers. It is far from ideal to have required an indenture in order for this to proceed. I will be very impressed if this pulp mill jumps through all the hoops, that is, the schedules and various clauses within the legislation. On behalf of some of the local industries in the South-East, I am very pleased that the water issues have been addressed because, as we know, several parts of the South-East are overallocated. It does not make much sense in my book to provide a set resource to one particular industry when a number of existing industries must comply with what is a variable resource.

I congratulate some of the locals in the area with whom I met (in particular members of the No Pulp Mill Alliance, Duan Butler and Ric Paltridge) on their valiant efforts to ensure that members of this parliament were made well aware of all the issues in relation to the South-East. Reluctantly, I support the bill on behalf of the Liberal Party. To those people I have mentioned, and having regard to such a beautiful and lush area where Angus beef and prime lambs are raised for export, as well as the dairies in the area, I completely understand their personal position in opposition to this bill. With those few remarks, I endorse the bill to the council.