Revelations that some of the $15 million in the Tasmanian Transitional Support Fund (TSF) is yet to be expended comes as a slap in the face for unemployed and uncompensated workers throughout rural and regional Tasmania, according to Apsley Independent MLC Tania Rattray (above).
Ms Rattray said she was appalled to think that forest workers and contractors had lost their jobs with no compensation, yet the TSF was withholding funds for those that still had a job in the sector.
The comments come in the wake of a State Government response to a Legislative Council motion calling for more funds to be put into the TSF scheme as well as an extension of the eligibility criteria.
“For many years the forestry sector has been the lifeblood of rural and regional communities throughout Tasmania and the recent downturn in the industry has and continues to have a significant impact on these communities,” Ms Rattray said.
“However, we are now in the ludicrous situation whereby forest workers who still have jobs, have compensation earmarked for them in the TSF scheme, yet those who have lost their job or their businesses are asked just to cop it on the chin.
“Frankly this is an appalling situation, forest workers and contractors who are now doing it tough have been let down by the State and Federal Governments and something must be done.”
Ms Rattray said in a response from Deputy Premier Bryan Green, the Government had confirmed that compensation was being withheld for some 51 Gunns employees who were yet to lose their jobs.
“While I do not begrudge these employees from gaining their compensation, why is it that so many others have to miss out and suffer?” Ms Rattray said.
Under the scheme forest workers received approximately $38,400 each, with payments going to some 336 Gunns employees and a further 49 applications from 12 Gunns contractors.
Ms Rattray said since the fund has been closed a further 26 direct applications have now been received, but they had not been assessed.
“The question is how many more could be entitled to compensation but have given up on the process? Ms Rattray said.
“This situation highlights the need for more funding to be put in to support the TSF.
“You cannot and should not play god with forest workers and the communities they support,” Ms Rattray said.
• The Conversation: Can forest conservation and logging be reconciled?
First published: 2012-07-30 05:25 AM
• David Obendorf: Inauthentic politicians offer platitudes to confused Tasmanians
Half-truths about what has driven these forest wars come out in dribs and drabs … in the heat of a debate. Selective amnesia and blinkered vision are essential pre-requisites in Tasmania’s politicians.
The embers in the forest anger is still white-hot and passionate but the human cost is far too great – suicides, domestic violence, indebtedness, addictions.
Let’s hope the latest head-to-head between Bryan Green and Will Hodgman on Leon Compton’s Statewide Mornings Monday 31st August is available as a podcast at least!
Forest workers heckle minister – [ABC 936 Local News 31 July 2012]
Tempers have run high at a forestry debate near Hobart with a sawmiller ejected by police and the meeting calling for an early election.
The Resources Minister, Bryan Green, went head-to-head with Opposition Leader Will Hodgman over the industry’s future. About 150 people attended the debate in Brighton, mostly frustrated forest workers and their families.
The Minister struggled to get his message across; he was booed during his opening address and heckled for most the debate.
One saw-miller Danny Page was escorted out by Tasmania Police.
“I’m a fourth generation saw-miller and I’ve got no logs. Tell me why?”
The debate’s chairman, Brighton Mayor Tony Foster, struggled to maintain control with the crowd calling for an early election. “Mr Chairman, stand up if you think Bryan should call an election?”
Forest worker Michael Kelly was one of those on his feet.
“There was a lot of us stood up because at the end of it, it’s a failed process, this Government’s failing, it’s not working,” he said.
Mr Hodgman received applause for promising to tear up the forestry peace deal.
“Enough is enough and let me be clear; not one more stick of Tasmanian native productive forest should be locked up, not one more stick and not one more stick will be locked up under a Liberal Government,” he told the crowd.
Mr Green rejected calls for an election to be called over forestry.
“If I thought it would make a difference and bring the Australian dollar down, and help all you people I would, but it won’t.
Mr Green maintained that the peace negotiations were the only way forward.
“We need to resolve this very important issue that’s confronted us for the past 30 years, that’s created a lot of misery from a lot of families. I’m not going to walk away from those people. I’m going to look them in the eye and tell them that, at the end of the day, we have to do our best to help them, and I believe what we’ve done so far is just that.”
• Leon Compton’s interview with Bryan Green and call in by Will Hodgman on a podcast of 31 July Statewide Mornings: Listen here
• Yesterday on Tasmanian Times: The ultimate contradiction: Let the market decide (in our favour of course)
GREENS READY FOR DEBATE
While Flaky Liberals Backflip on Forest Policy
Nick McKim MP
Greens Leader
Tuesday, 31 July 2012
“…most of our remaining old growth forest can be preserved and protected.” – Liberal Party 13 point forestry plan
“…not one more stick will be locked up under a Liberal Government.” – Will Hodgman, 30/07/2012
The Tasmanian Greens stand ready for a debate on forestry with the Liberal party, following Will Hodgman’s disgraceful policy backflip on forest reserves.
Greens Leader Nick McKim said that Mr Hodgman’s claim that “not one more stick” of forests would be placed in reserves under a Liberal government contradicted the Liberal Party’s own 13 point forestry plan, which has now disappeared from party’s website here.
“The Greens are ready and willing to debate Mr Hodgman over the future of the forest industry, because we know that the Liberals are now the single biggest threat to a viable forest industry in Tasmania,” Mr McKim said.
“Mr Hodgman seems to have spent most of his time during the debate with the Deputy Premier attacking the Greens, and yet he hasn’t had the courage to debate us face to face.”
“It’s the Liberal Party who need to explain to timber communities why they have continued to support the broken business model that has put the industry into this crisis.”
“His threat to not to place ‘one more stick’ of forests in reserves was a major backflip for a party who, up until this week, supported protecting at least some high conservation value forests.”
“The Liberals now literally have no forestry policy, and Mr Hodgman is exposed as a flaky populist who’s prepared to compromise on any principle to suit his audience.”
“This is exactly why Mr Hodman has no credibility on forestry, and why none of the industry, union and environmental groups at the negotiating table support his party’s position.”
“The Greens are the only party that’s actually put up a rigorous Forest Transition Strategy that sets out a way forward for a sustainable, profitable industry.”
The Liberal Party’s 13 point plan can still be viewed via the Wayback Machine archive: here .
• UN Youth Ambassador ready to listen to young Tasmanians … (Miranda Gibson and Dan Ryan)
The Australian UN Youth Ambassador has arrived in Hobart today to engage with audiences about the problems young people face and the solutions they are coming up with.
25 year old Dan Ryan from South Australia arrived is half way through his Nation-wide listening tour. Throughout his stay he will be talking to a number of local schools in Hobart and Launceston aiming to find out what issues face young people in Tasmania and what is being done to overcome those.
“I’m not limiting myself to any minority group or problem. I am seeing some reoccurring problems and they are as diverse as mental health, negative ramifications of social media, human rights issues around mandatory detention, young people attitudes to out of home care and indigenous issues,” he says.
Mr Ryan says the tour is all about engaging and empowering young Australians.
“It’s focussed on solutions and positive things that young people are involved in and what’s working for them.”
In September Mr Ryan will represent Australian at the United Nations General Assembly in New York using his collated findings from schools across the nation, including Hobart’s, to deliver his message about what it means to be a young person in Australia.
Mr Ryan’s five day visit to the state doesn’t just include school visits, with a trip to the Observer Tree in the Styx Valley to talk with activist Miranda Gibson scheduled. Fascinated by her approach to campaigning and problem solving, he hopes to find out her perspective on youth activism and breaking through the barriers.
“Miranda has a unique story, protesting the felling of trees, by living at the top of one. It’s a great example of what young Australians do. We don’t get limited by what’s been done before and we come up with creative and innovative ways to get our ideas across,” Mr Ryan says.
He says indifference is a huge challenge to positive change in Australia across the board and the time has come to move past that.
“Finding a way through that apathy and cutting through to where the message is a challenge i’ve been involved in with my volunteering over the last few years and I’ve seen young people in a whole number of different areas of passion who are doing that and doing it really well.”
www.unyouthrep.com/solved?
