FIAT surprised by Government haste

Tasmania’s peak forest industry body has expressed surprise at today’s announcement by
the Tasmanian Government and most particularly the haste with which they intend to enact
changes to the State’s forest policy.

“The Forest Industries Association of Tasmania acknowledge that the newly elected
Government have claimed electoral support to implement their stated policies but we are
concerned by the unnecessary speed with which they have acted to announce their policy
position which has significantly reduced the opportunity for detailed issues to be raised by
stakeholders including industry representatives.”

FIAT Chief Executive Terry Edwards said: ”We have previously expressed our desire to work
with the new Government in the implementation of their policies but that this did not
constitute a “blank cheque” on their position.” “Today’s announcement has taken us by
surprise not in respect to content but certainly in respect to the unseemly haste in which this
direction is being progressed which will preclude detailed and sensible discussion with
stakeholders over the myriad of issues that arise from the policy.”

We are not prepared to make any comments on the implications of the policy itself as we
will need to analyse its consequences and the haste in which it is being implemented along
with the ramifications in a broad range of areas that are not articulated within today’s
announcement Mr Edwards said.

On 1 April after conducting a Members meeting to consider the briefing provided by
Government and the ramifications of support for the TFA and the electoral support for the
new Government policies FIAT said:

“There are a range of key issues that are necessary to underpin the continued
vibrancy of the Tasmanian forest industry and these are issues FIAT will be
encouraging the Government to consider in our future dialogue. Those issue include
market security, FSC certification, enhanced contractor capacity, special species
timber supply, residues solutions, plantation research and development etc. Any
forward looking forest policy must identify acceptable solutions to these and other
vexed issues if it is to be successful Mr Edwards said.”

“This was a clear statement of various issues that are in need of resolution prior to any
legislative change. The haste of the current approach by Government makes detailed
responses to most of these key and fundamental issues extremely difficult” Mr Edwards said.
Terry Edwards – Chief Executive Officer Forest Industries Association of Tasmania