Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Illawarra-based Liberal Senator for New South Wales, said she was not intimidated by the threat Mr Howes made outside her office on Wednesday
“Mr Howes told those assembled that if I did not support the Steel Transformation Plan I should be ‘run out of town’. But I will not be threatened by this.
“This thuggish language and bullish behaviour demonstrates that Mr Howes has no respect for the office I hold or my ties and work in the area over a long period of time or any respect for my constituents in NSW who do not want this toxic tax. The Prime Minister’s mate has threatened me because I dare to hold a different point of view.
“I am representing the views of the thousands of Illawarra residents who voted against the Australian Labor Party at the recent State and local government elections. Mr Howes, I and many others stood on polling booths and heard the message loud and clear – anti-Labor and anti-carbon tax.
“The Coalition has opposed the Carbon Tax and will rescind it in government. The Steel Transformation Plan was only dreamed up at the last moment to help Mr Howes keep his job.
“The Steel Transformation Plan Bill was to have been received today by the Senate but this afternoon it disappeared from the program!
“Mr Howes was expecting ‘hundreds’ to protest outside my office and those of my colleagues Bob Baldwin MP at Raymond Terrace, NSW and Greg Hunt MP in Hastings, Victoria. All three were fizzers with only about 30 people outside my office, around 20 at Mr Hunt’s and no one at Mr Baldwin’s office. As one observer posted on the Illawarra Mercury on line yesterday:
“Saw this protest, was half a dozen ‘workers’ until the media turned up and then the number increased significantly for 5 minutes while someone ranted and raved. And then it was over, everyone back on the union bus and back to work. More like sheep than true protestors!”
“Illawarra steel and coal industries will be amongst the hardest hit by a carbon tax.
“Ms Gillard lied to the Australian people before the 2010 election when she said there would be no carbon tax. This is a tax that can bring no benefit to the Illawarra.”