Corporate welfare for mendicant mining company

Shree Should Stand on Own Two Feet

The Tasmanian Greens today described Labor’s decision to ‘favourably consider’ deferring royalty payments to Shree Minerals as yet more corporate welfare following on from a decade of wasted taxpayer funds on the Tamar Valley pulp mill.

Greens Leader Nick McKim MP said that the Tarkine will create far more jobs and value to Tasmania by making it a National Park and including it in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

“Here we go again. Yet more corporate welfare for a mendicant business that can’t stand on its own two feet,” Mr McKim said.

“It really does seem as if it’s only the Greens that support a level playing field for Tasmanian businesses.”

“This is money that is being denied to every other business in Tasmania, and could be used to support our small local businesses who are the engine room of Tasmanian’s economy, or to better fund our schools or hospitals.”

“There is no way that Labor would have tried a stunt like this with the Greens in Cabinet.”

“Just like the Tamar Valley pulp mill, Shree’s Tarkine project has been fast-tracked by Labor, and now it’s supposedly gone from financially sustainable to having to hold out the begging bowl overnight. It really does beggar belief,” Mr McKim said.

Nick McKim MP Greens Leader