Forestry Tasmania shake-up stokes forest ire in State Parliament
TEMPERS have flared in State Parliament amid debate on whether the State Government is helping or hindering the forest industry.
TEMPERS have flared in State Parliament amid debate on whether the State Government is helping or hindering the forest industry.
The Liberals have outlined a major shake-up of Forestry Tasmania which will involve a new name, further downsizing, charging more for timber and opening up contested areas to logging.
From July 1 next year the business will be known as Sustainable Timber Tasmania.
Thirty-five jobs will go under the restructure.
MORE: NEW NAME, NEW LOOK FOR FORESTRY TASMANIA
The State Government will absorb the cost of some non-commercial operations such as maintenance for multi-use roads.
Opposition leader Bryan Green referred to comments from industry players that the Government’s plan will kill regional sawmills because it involves upping the price of timber.
“You’re doing a better job of shrinking Forestry Tasmania than dark Greens like Kim Booth could have ever dreamed of,” he said.
Resources Minister Guy Barnett said the restructure was about saving the industry, as the alternative proposal from Forestry Tasmania was to shrink the industry by 25 per cent.
Forestry Tasmania has posted a $67 million loss including a $16 million cash loss and has advised it cannot continue on its current path.
MORE: FORESTRY’S LOSS REINFORCES NEED FOR NEW LOGGING
“We are saving the jobs of 700 Tasmanians in rural and regional Tasmania,” Mr Barnett said.
Mr Barnett blamed the forest peace deal stuck under the former government for Forestry Tasmania’s bleak outlook.
“The business model is broken because of the lock-ups you have created … this is your legacy, you have left this for Tasmania, we are now cleaning up the mess,” he said.
Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said the Liberals were “environment and climate vandals” for seeking to log in areas set aside for reserves under the forest peace deal.
Originally published as Forestry Tasmania shake-up stokes forest ire in State Parliament
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