Paul Harriss: Light shed on the radicals Labor conspired with to destroy our forest industry

A national magazine has shed light on the disgraceful tactics of the environmental movement in seeking to destroy the Tasmanian forest industry.

In an article in The Monthly, radical activists are quoted shamelessly gloating of their actions, which have claimed the jobs of so many Tasmanian forest workers.

It makes sickening reading, yet reveals the depths to which these extremists will sink to achieve their goal of shutting down an industry.

The article details how the movement bought the Triabunna mill with the sole purpose of damaging the industry, and how the machinery and plant were destroyed in an undercover move so that the mill could never be returned to operation.

It states that they took this action in full knowledge that it was in breach of the Intergovernmental Agreement on forestry.

Activist Sean Cadman is quoted as saying: “Taking out Triabunna was the strategic triumph of the environment movement of the last five years.”

Green donor and co-buyer of the mill, Graeme Wood, said of the man he put in charge, the Wilderness Society’s Alec Marr: “This was Alec’s thing. He just wanted to f… the industry over; he didn’t give a toss about what would happen to the site afterwards.”

Marr says triumphantly of his efforts to destroy the mill: “It’s truly been a great day . . . I reckon to fix it all would cost $2 million and take six months. One or two more days like this, and we will no longer have a mill.”

It was to these people that Labor sold out Tasmanian workers.

Labor not only stood by while the Greens and their front groups did everything they could to destroy our forest industry, they did a deal that hastened its demise.

Bryan Green must explain exactly what he knew of the destruction of the Triabunna mill.
Paul Harriss, Minister for Resources