Mattie McGrath attacks rushed timetable, defends forestry jobs
Mattie McGrath sharply objected to the short timetable for all stages of a forestry bill and defended the livelihoods of people who plant and harvest trees. He criticised amendments and objections from city residents and Deputy Mayor Barrett as blocking jobs, timber supply and housebuilding.
Timetable objection
McGrath said he raised his objection at the Business Committee and called the short amount of time on Wednesday for all stages "totally ridiculous." He said he even suggested meeting at 10am, which was not feasible because of the Cabinet, and later suggested noon.
Impact on jobs and supply chains
He warned families, contractors and mills are being deprived of their living because plantations cannot be harvested. McGrath said the result is builders cannot get timber to build houses, linking the forestry dispute directly to housing materials.
Opposition and amendments
He accused "three huggers and three lovers" of holding up the bill with "frivolous amendments," and criticised city residents objecting to plantations "200 miles away" for blocking practical outcomes for rural workers.
Direct challenge to Deputy Mayor Barrett
McGrath said he fundamentally opposed what Deputy Mayor Barrett was arguing and challenged him to "go plant some trees in his leafy backyard" to understand how trees grow and are harvested in the countryside.
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I am objecting in the most strongest possible way to the short amount of time on Wednesday for all stages. I did at the Business Committee. I even suggested we meet this morning at 10, which wasn't feasible with the Cabinet. I suggested we meet at 12. It's just totally ridiculous to have such an important piece of legislation. I fundamentally oppose what Deputy Mayor Barrett is talking about. We want it for real jobs, for real people who have trees planted. We have three huggers and three lovers holding up a bill, clogging it up with amendments, frivolous amendments, and we want to stop people living in the city here, objecting to plantations 200 miles away. This is scandalous. Families are being deprived of their living. They can't harvest their timber. The contractors are deprived of their living. The mills are without timber. And consequently, builders can't get materials to build houses. It's classical, coming from Deputy Mayor Barrett, who's always talking about housing, that we're so short-sighted, we can't see this. I tell him, go plant some trees in his leafy backyard, if he wants to, and see how trees grow, and how we mine them in the country. It's ridiculous.
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