Rebuilding the forest industry and creating regional jobs

The Hodgman Liberal Government welcomes new figures from TasPorts showing the export of wood products has passed three million tonnes for the first time in five years.

That’s a massive 1.9 million tonnes, or more than 160 per cent, increase on exports than during the dark days of the failed Labor-Green experiment.

This is a reflection of renewed confidence and industry security under a Liberal Government.

We tore up the job-destroying forestry deal and we have ended the lock-ups providing increased resource security, which has attracted private investment and jobs growth.

We have also provided the strongest laws in Australia to protect workers from radical protestors.

As a result, the industry’s fortunes are turning around. Investment, employment, exports and earnings are all rising.

There is still much more to be done to repair the damage, and we are getting on with it.

The estimated value of logs delivered to customers under the first full year of the Hodgman Liberal Government was almost 50 per cent higher than during the dark days of the Labor-Green disaster.

Labor’s deal with the Greens to remove resource security and facilitate the sale of a vital export port to detractors who destroyed the infrastructure was a kick in the guts to an industry, which had already been hit by the collapse of Gunns and the GFC.

Tasmanians can be assured we won’t give up like the Leader of the Opposition has done, by walking away from the job as Resources spokesman.

To have any credibility Bryan Green first needs to answer the contractor who in a submission to the Triabunna Mill Inquiry said this about Labor and the Greens:

‘They couldn’t wait to … shut the forest industry down, with scant regard for businesses such as mine. … In doing so they destroyed my business, my family and my life … (they) should be held totally accountable for the Triabunna Mill debacle and should never be forgiven for the untold pain and grief they have caused good hard-working Tasmanian families, all in the name of satisfying the Greens and hanging onto power.’
Guy Barnett, Minister for Resources