Plantations tax rort must be ended, not extended

SENATOR CHRISTINE MILNE
The Managed Investment Scheme tax rort for plantations which has been a blight on regional Australia must be ended, not extended, the Australian Greens said today.
Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, made this call in response to the tabling of a Joint Parliamentary Committee report into the operation of MIS schemes. The Labor and Liberal Parties closed ranks to protect the forest industry.

“People across regional Tasmania from Chudleigh to Preolenna will be beside themselves over this disgraceful decision to continue the MIS tax rort,” Senator Milne said.

“MIS plantations have been a blight on regional Australia, devastating rural communities by inflating land prices and putting further pressure on scarce water resources.”

“Every hectare of food producing land that is converted to plantations puts more pressure on our food security and increases the upward pressure on food prices for all Tasmanians.

“The decision by Labor and Liberals to close ranks on this issue shows once again just how much the two old parties have been captured by resource sector, forestry as much as coal.”

“Growing the plantation sector was supposed to be about ending native forest logging by providing an alternative. Clearly that hasn’t come to pass. Ironically we have seen companies like Gunns picking up huge areas of plantations in the MIS fire sales for windfall gains at taxpayers’ expense, while still logging our magnificent native forests.

“Australia has enough plantations in the ground now to meet our needs. It is time to think about the global food task and our eco system resilience.”

The dairy industry is being squeezed by a pincer movement from forestry interests and large corporates exercising undue market power. The Greens want to see dairy farms remain as a critical part of rural Tasmania which will not happen if this preference for Collins St investors continues to grip the Liberal and Labor parties.”

“There is absolutely no justification for continuing the MIS tax rort.”