The Tasmanian Greens today called on the Minister for Resources Bryan Green to explain why the Crown had received lease fees for Gunns’ plantations on Crown land, while private growers where being left out of pocket.
In State Parliament today, Greens Forestry spokesperson Kim Booth MP sought further information from the Minister about the details of the lease arrangements, and the future status of the trees on Crown land.
“In response to my question about plantation leases yesterday, the Minister has revealed that close to 14,000 hectares of plantations are currently festering on Crown land,” Mr Booth said. [1]
“Although it is welcome news for the taxpayer that the lease fees for plantations on Crown land are all paid, it’s cold comfort for private growers left out of pocket in this whole disaster.”
“Given the much publicised complaints from farmers that Gunns has not paid leases on their land, allegedly for years in some cases, why is the Crown is the only lessor on the planet that is paid up?”
“There are still no guarantees on the future of lease payments, or regarding who will take responsibility for the management and maintenance of the plantations, and whether the lease payments received may be wound back as a priority payment by the liquidator.”
“Taxpayers want a guarantee that the Crown will not be left with a massive financial liability in the form of a weed ridden crop of trees that are not fit for harvesting.”
“The Greens are calling on the Minister to obtain formal advice about the ownership and liability issues relating to these plantations.”
“It’s just further proof of the appallingly short sightedness of the Labor and Liberal Parties in their support for expansion of a pulp wood plantation estate as part of their naive pulp mill fantasy.”
Download Minister’s response to question asked by Kim Booth MP, 10 April 2013:
Apr11_Response_from_Minister_Green_to_Question_from_Kim_Booth_ATTACH.pdf
Kim Booth MP Greens Forestry Spokesperson Thursday, 11 April 2013
