Claims that the federal election result in Tasmania had been a referendum on forestry were “total crap” according to Tasmanian Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson. Source: The Examiner
Senator Whish-Wilson said the message was being peddled by politicians keen to take Tasmania back to the failed business models of the past.
“If this is what they’re going to push, I don’t think they’ll get elected in three years’ time,” Senator Whish-Wilson said.
“The Liberals have still not put up a solution on how they’re going to get the rest of the world to buy our low-value timber products . . . and this is where the Liberal Party has conned Tasmanians.”
Senator Whish-Wilson had called a press conference to offer his thoughts on the outcome of the election.
“We wanted to make it clear, especially to the 35,000 or so who voted for the Greens in the Senate, that we’re comfortable we’ve retained our Senate quota and are looking forward to getting on with business and holding especially the Liberal Party to account,” Senator Whish-Wilson said.
“The Greens, looking at the numbers as they stand now, are still going to have an influence on legislation.
“There are a number of factors (for the 8% swing against the Greens in Tasmania).
“I think anyone you spoke to, even six hours before the result that evening, and said Palmer United Party would poll 20,000 votes in the Senate, would have told you, you had rocks in your head, but they did.”
Senator Whish-Wilson said that the state Greens-Labor alliance had no bearing on the election outcome.
“I’ve witnessed, up close and personal, the Labor Party tearing themselves to pieces, federally, in the past 12 months – it has been something to behold and some of that negativity rubbed off on the Greens,” he said.
