Beware the Ides of March*. Forestry split

Transcript: [i]ABC1- 7.30 Tasmania[/i] [15 March 2013] interview with [b]Paul Harriss[/b] MLC for Huon and chairman of the Legislative Council Select Committee inquiring into the Tasmanian Forest Agreement bill 2012

Paul Harriss: ‘Now it’s not a matter of being part of Ta Ann moving [exiting Tasmania]. Let’s bear in mind what is the truth here. And the truth is that Ta Ann’s markets have been trashed by environmental groups who have other agendas. It’s not just about the logging processes in Tasmania, it’s about the logging processes which they [environment groups] say are not appropriate in… in Malaysia which Ta Ann… participates in.

Paul Harriss: ‘…Ta Ann is a very important employer in the Huon electorate, as it is in the north-west part of the State.

I w… I played a role, if you like, in meeting with the Ta Ann people in Malaysia before they came here.’

Airlie Ward [interviewer]: ‘You declared a pecuniary interest as well, didn’t you?’

Paul Harriss: ‘Yes, it’s clear that I’ve travelled to Malaysia to build a relationship from a Parliamentary point of view with that significant, ahh… downstream processing company. I have the highest regard for all that they’ve contributed in this State.

I would hope that even if this legislation is not passed, that there is a place for them [Ta Ann] to remain and that would come with, ahh… market security, particularly in Japan. I’m not convinced that is entirely lost.’

* – The Ides of March (Latin: Idus Martii or Idus Martiae) is a day on the Roman calendar corresponds to March 15. It became notorious as the date of the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC. The death of Caesar made the Ides of March a turning point in Roman history, as one of the events that marked the transition from the historical period known as the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire. [Wikipedia]

• Andrew Denman, President, The Tasmanian Special Timbers Alliance: Tasmania’s Special Timber Industry to be gutted if TFA proceeds without amendment

• Bryan Green, Deputy Premier: Securing Forestry Tasmania’s future: Mr Green said Forestry Tasmania’s commercial and non commercial functions would be separated. … Mr Green confirmed Forestry Tasmania would retain independence to manage State forests for commercial wood production following recommendations from the Forestry Tasmania Transition Oversight Committee (FTTOC). … Mr Green said the Strategic Review of Forestry Tasmania by URS confirmed the business faced cash losses in the order of $20-25 million a year because of the market downturn. … The Government has decided to establish a new statutory parks and reserves authority within the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (under the National Parks and Reserves Management Act), bringing together responsibility for management of national parks, reserves, crown land and carbon in reserves. “This will include responsibility for agreed areas of non-production forests that are currently managed by Forestry Tasmania. Further details of the new authority will be announced by the end of the week. “Settling these arrangements for management of production forests and for management of reserves is consistent with the Government’s commitment to backing in the Tasmanian Forests Agreement. Full MR HERE