LABOR STILL TURNING ITS BACK ON TASMANIAN FORESTRY WORKERS

Tasmanian Labor MPs are being called on to explain why they’re refusing to back measures which will assist Tasmanian forest workers and their families.

Federal Lyons MP Eric Hutchinson said a Renewable Energy Target proposal announced last week is particularly positive for Tasmania.

The Federal Government and Labor agreed on a 33,000 gigawatt hour Renewable Energy Target which equates to about a 23.5 per cent Renewable Energy Target by 2020.

“However what will anger Tasmanian workers is Labor’s unwillingness to consider including the use of residue from native forest operations within the RET” Mr Hutchinson said.

“Hasn’t Labor realised how important forestry is in Tasmania? This was always Labor policy before they did a deal with The Greens over the Carbon Tax – there was always bipartisanship on the use of residual wood waste.”

Mr Hutchinson called on Tasmania’s Federal Labor members to declare if they say support the forest industry and will stand up for Tasmania or are they captive to inner-city Greens in Melbourne and Sydney?

“Is Tasmania’s federal Labor team going to quietly sit behind a party that is more aligned with the inner-city green agenda than regional Tasmania?” he said.
FEDERAL Lyons MP Eric Hutchinson