Liberals to thank for failed forestry schemes in wake of Gunns’ collapse

The Tasmanian rural landscape is now littered with hundreds of thousands of hectares of seemingly un-wanted Eucalyptus nitens thanks to the now totally discredited 2020 vision of the Managed Investment Schemes (MIS) and its Liberal architect Senator Eric Abetz.

Australian Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson made the comments following Gunns Ltd’s entry into voluntary administration yesterday.

“As the Minister for Forestry in the Howard government, Senator Abetz was the driving force behind the systematic roll-out of unsustainable tree plantations right around Australia.

“MIS are a perverse tax break which encouraged over-planting of trees such as nitens, often with little foresight given to the end markets of these plantings and sale of timber products.

“It was assumed an unpopular unviable pulp mill in the Tamar Valley was going to be the market and buyer of such niten plantings.

“A risky bet considering the state of global paper and pulp markets and the lack of a social licence for this project.

“The Liberals have doggedly refused to take ownership for their mess, trying to blame everyone else.

“When ABC program 4 Corners investigated flaws in the scheme back in 2007 Senator Abetz dismissed concerns around the failure of many schemes to meet projected returns.

“There’s a lot of mantra around this… I remain to be convinced and to see evidence….. all indications are investors will receive an appropriate dividend,’ Senator Abetz stated.

“If the Liberals need any more evidence pick up any of today’s papers, this isn’t mantra, it’s reality,” Senator Whish-Wilson said.

A transcript of the 4 Corners interview can be found at http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2007/s1889854.htm

• Hakan Ekstrom, Wood Resource Quarterly: South Korea and Japan will become large importers of pellets and energy chips in the coming decade

South Korea and Japan will become large importers of pellets and energy chips in the coming decade, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly

Both Japan and South Korea intend to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and increasingly rely on renewable energy in the future. As a consequence, both countries will increase their importation of wood pellets and energy chips from other countries in Asia and from North America in the coming years, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly.

Download the full article:
GTWMU_Korea_and_Japan_pellet_demand_outlook.pdf