Liberals refuse to guarantee Forestry Tasmania’s future

A dark cloud hangs over Forestry Tasmania’s future after senior Liberal Ministers today refused to rule out shutting it down.

“Both the Treasurer and the Resources Minister today dodged questions over whether Forestry Tasmania will continue as a stand-alone Government business,” Labor Leader Bryan Green said today.

“Peter Gutwein and Paul Harriss have added to uncertainty over Forestry Tasmania by refusing to speculate on its future while reviewing the operation of the business.

“This is a massive shift from the Liberals pre-election promise to allow Forestry Tasmania to trade its way out of financial trouble.

“Are the Liberals planning to wind up Forestry Tasmania or transfer the business into a government department?

“The Liberals have done nothing to turn around the decline in the forest industry despite their promises, so how do they expect Forestry Tasmania to survive without a subsidy?

“Labor remains strongly committed to Forestry Tasmania as it was in Government by providing contingency funding over the forward estimates.”

“If the Government is committed to keeping Forestry Tasmania solvent where will the money come?

“We have already seen the Government break its promise not to subsidise Forestry Tasmania by a devious $30 million transfer from TasNetworks to the business.

“Will the Government rule out stripping more cash from State-owned companies to keep Forestry Tasmania solvent or is it planning to dissolve the business?”
Bryan Green MP Labor Leader