E&OE.
Ted, thank you very much mate.
I firstly just want to say to everyone who is here today, and through you to the community; thank you for the way in which you’ve engaged with us, thank you for the discussions, the frank advice that you’ve given to us. It really has had a huge impact.
When we went out to have a look at the environment, to have a look at the ocean, to have a look at the impact of these wind turbines, it had a big impact on us.
A lot of people have spent their own money, they’ve given up their own time, and they’ve sacrificed a lot to really put this issue on the map.
I do want to say thank you very much and most sincerely.
Troy, to you for your leadership and to many others here in the room today; you have gone above and beyond because you care for and you love this local community.
It’s completely unacceptable that we would see a complete disregard for the environment, for industry, for the sector, particularly of fishing, particularly of tourism. It’s not just on the professional fishermen here, or the tourist operators, it’s on small businesses right across the community because we’ll see a complete transition of the way in which people know and that they’ve enjoyed life in this local community up until this point.
I think the Prime Minister really needs to come down here and speak to you and to explain and to justify. I really do.
I think there needs to be a proper explanation to the community, because what we’re seeing – and you might have seen this on the news – but what we’re seeing in Tasmania at the moment is a similar impact on the salmon industry. There’s a desire to close down salmon farming. We’ll import the salmon and Australians will lose jobs in Tasmania.
When you ask what’s the connection between the offshore wind project here and the salmon farming in Tasmania? It’s pretty simple to join the two up.
As Ted points out, it’s about winning votes from the Greens in inner-city Sydney and Melbourne, and your community is being held to ransom, and frankly, disregard for that objective.
I think the Prime Minister should come up and say to you that the reason he’s putting his own political interests ahead of your own community interests – well, I don’t know what the explanation is – let him explain it to you.
The decision that we’ve taken as a Coalition is to make sure that we rip up these contracts, to make sure that we make it very clear that we will not proceed with the offshore turbines as proposed by the Albanese Government.
I want to say thank you very much, Laurence, to you mate, for your advocacy. He’s very passionate about this local community. Ted is the same. I do want to say thank you to them for the way in which they have stood up and they’ve shown leadership. Ted has many balls to negotiate in the air at one time and he does it incredibly well. I’m very proud of the work that Ted’s done in his portfolio.
But I’m most proud of this community, and I’m really pleased to be here with you today to make that announcement because I want the best days ahead. I want the next generation to be able to enjoy this beautiful, pristine environment.
This environment would be irreversibly changed for generations to come if this project goes ahead – you know all of that.
I do want to say thank you very much for having us here today, for the warmth and for the hospitality, not just today, but on previous visits as well.
We need to pressure the Government now to reverse their decision, and we need to make sure that at the next election, we can get a change in government so that this community has certainty about its future and to make sure that with Laurence as the local member, you have the strongest possible voice and somebody who’s prepared to stand up for you.
There’s no sense in having a local MP who refuses to engage, or when he or she does turn up, they’re just parroting the lines that they’ve been given by the Government. You need somebody who’s a local champion – and Laurence Antcliff is that person.
Thank you very much and I look forward to catching you soon. Thank you.
[ends]