Tasmania Labor Senators must support the best interests of Tasmania and jobs by voting for the current Renewable Energy Target Legislation which includes biomass and wood waste as renewable energy.
The forest industry is vital for the Tasmanian economy and jobs and the Hodgman Liberal Government is rebuilding the industry after 4343 jobs were lost under the previous Labor-Green state government.
Respected German professor Andreas Rothe spent 6 months in Tasmania in 2013 examining the potential for renewable wood-waste fired power in Tasmania and found that as much as 3.3 million tonnes of biomass could be sourced from sustainable forestry.
This has the potential to deliver a $200 million boost to earnings, hundreds of new jobs, sustainable environmental benefits and a shot in the arm for many regional communities.
This is a sensible, logical and sustainable industry for Tasmania and has widespread support. A recent survey by the Australian Forest Products Association found that in the seats of Braddon, Bass, Franklin and Lyons there was support or strong support for re-inclusion of wood waste in the RET from 67% of those surveyed.
I acknowledge the strong support of Federal Liberal MHRs Eric Hutchinson, Andrew Nikolic and Brett Whiteley and plead with Tasmanian Labor members to lobby their federal colleagues to see common sense.
The ALP used to be the party of the workers – unfortunately Opposition Leader Bryan Green used to support this, then stood by when Bill Shorten said it didn’t matter and now supports a Greens veto process that doesn’t include native forest residue.
I urge Tasmanian Labor Senators to do the right thing for Tasmania and support this sensible Liberal legislation and help get hundreds more Tasmanians back into work.
NB: Mr Barnett spoke to a notice of motion on this in the House of Assembly today.
Guy Barnett, Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier
