New federal laws spell ‘disaster’ for Tasmanian forestry industry, minister says
Federal environment law changes have sparked fierce debate after removing forestry exemptions, with Tasmania's industry minister warning thousands of jobs face disaster.
New federal environment laws spelled disaster for the state’s forestry industry and put thousands of jobs at risk, Minister for Business, Industry and Resources Felix Ellis says.
On Thursday, Environment Minister Murray Watt confirmed the amendments to the government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act would receive the support of the Greens in the Senate.
The bill includes a $300m forestry growth fund to back forestry and timber workers, but also removed the exemption of Regional Forestry Agreements from the federal environment laws.
“(It will) deliver a bigger forestry industry that supports more secure jobs, better pay and high-value output,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
But Mr Ellis said the “seismic” deal pulled the rug” out from under the Tasmanian forestry industry during questioning by Tasmanian Greens leader Roaslie Woodruff during Government Business Enterprise Committee hearings in Hobart.
“I’m deeply concerned by the Labor-Green Deal that’s been done at a federal level, and the approach from the Prime Minister to effectively put at risk thousands of jobs and the ability to fight fires in forests in Tasmania is massively concerning,” Mr Ellis said.
“Now we’ll need to work through the details of this announcement, we’ll be doing that in partnership with industry, universities, with the workforce.
“You can crow and dance around all you like on this disastrous decision, but there are families out there who put themselves in harm’s way to protect communities like yours and put food on their tables through the native forest sector, and they are feeling deeply worried today.”
Greens Senator Nick McKim said Tasmania’s native forests “have been trashed with impunity for far too long”.
“Ending the RFA exemption is a significant win for our forests and should hasten the end of the native forest logging industry.
“This will see the end of an outrageous legal carve-out for logging that’s resulted in devastation for forests and threatened species habitats across the country.
“This is the best outcome achievable from negotiation with a Labor Party that has a track record of being actively hostile to the environment, and cares more about corporate profits than protecting nature.
“It is crucial that the financial support announced by the Commonwealth today is used to transition out of native forest logging and into plantations, rewilding and environmental management.”
Tasmanian Liberal Senator Jonno Duniam said that this deal “prescribes the death knell of Tasmania’s forestry industry”.
“The Prime Minister today outlined a roadmap to the end of Tasmania’s native forestry industry - an industry that employs honest hardworking Tasmanians and supplies hardwood timber goods across the world,” he said.
“Tasmanian workers have been sold out by the Labor Party, in particular Tasmania’s own Federal Forestry Minister Julie Collins, in a deal rushed through without scrutiny.“
“Make no mistake, the Government is simply paying to shut Tasmania’s forestry industry down. It means more timber from overseas and a whittling down of our sovereign capabilities, including our proud forestry industry.”
“We had a deal on the table to protect our workers while maintaining the highest standards in the world for our forestry industry.
“The Labor Party decided against our sensible measures, instead choosing to decimate Tasmanian jobs.”
Originally published as New federal laws spell ‘disaster’ for Tasmanian forestry industry, minister says
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