Liberals ignore pleas to save mining and forestry jobs

Labor Leader Bryan Green today accused the Liberal Government of ignoring pleas from a forestry and mining contractor to help save dozens of jobs in the North-West.

“The Government has slammed the door in the face of this business in response to a request for support,” Mr Green said.

“This makes a lie of the Liberals’ rhetoric to stand up for jobs in the mining and forestry sectors.

“The owner of Collins Contracting in Smithton has contacted me desperate to save the jobs of his 30 workers.

“This is a local business doing it tough in a community that relies heavily on forestry and mining jobs.

“Resources Minister Paul Harriss and Adam Brooks are well aware of the contractor’s dilemma but have done nothing. They haven’t even told the Premier.

“The Liberals claim to be the saviour of the forest industry, so why have they turned their backs on this business in its hour of need.

“There is unspent money in a program specifically designed to support contractors but the Government refuses to find a way to help.

“Before the election the Liberals promised the mining and forestry sectors the world but after 12 months have been exposed as frauds that they are.

“The facts speak for themselves; there are now 1600 fewer Tasmanians employed in our mining sector than when the Liberals came to office.

“Paul Harriss is full of bluster but has been a spectacular failure as Resources Minister.

Mr Green detailed in Parliament today a list of Mr Harriss’ failures.

• Not one extra new log has been delivered to the forest industry.
• There is still no solution for forest residues.
• Broke an election promise to stop subsidising Forestry Tasmania.
• Botched attempts to crack down on forest protestors.
• Abandoned farcical defamation laws.
• Failed to secure funding for the embattled West Coast mining sector.
• Failed to restrict third party appeals as promised.

“It’s time Paul Harriss stopped his hysterical political rants and actually delivered on the Liberals’ promises,” Mr Green said.
Bryan Green MP Labor Leader