MEDIA RELEASE
A new poll commissioned by the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) in two battleground seats has revealed the majority of voters believe the Coalition is the best bet to deliver for forest industries.
Chief Executive Officer of AFPA Mr Ross Hampton said, “The future of forest industries clearly matters to voters in the seats of Barker (South Australia) and Bass (Tasmania). Evidently, they wish to reward the Liberal Party candidates for the $4 million commitment to a National Institute for Forest Products Innovation with hubs in Mt Gambier and Launceston.”
In Barker, 83% of respondents want forest industries to be a big economic driver for the region, and 47% believe that Tony Pasin (Liberal candidate) is more likely to deliver forest industry jobs and R&D investment.
In Bass, 73% of respondents want forest industries to be a big economic driver for the region, and 44% believe that Andrew Nikolic (Liberal candidate) is more likely to deliver forest industry jobs and R&D investment.
Background: Forest industries make a significant contribution to these two regional economies and include native forest operations (TAS), plantation growers, forest managers, harvest and haulage operators, sawmills, paper mills, and timber product exporters. The survey was conducted by MediaReach over the weekend of 25-26 June and involved over 500 responses in each seat.
29.06.2016 Barker and Bass voters say Pasin and Nikolic best bet for forest industries