The Hodgman Government is committed to supporting jobs in our forestry industry, that’s why we have committed to tearing up the job destroying, Labor-Green forestry lock up.
The final piece of legislation to scrap the disastrous Labor-Green deal is likely to be debated in the Legislative Council this week.
This legislation delivers on our election mandate to unlock Tasmania’s production forests, and it is an election promise we are determined to keep.
It is about unlocking our production forests for all Tasmanians, now and into the future.
This legislation is about ensuring that everyone in the forestry industry has access to the timber they need, not just the big players.
It will give the vital special species sector access to the timber they need, without having to crawl through the bureaucratic mess Labor and the Greens set up under the Forest Deal which makes accessing timber virtually impossible.
It will help support jobs and it will help sustain the growth in the forestry industry that we have seen ever since the majority Hodgman Government was elected in 2014.
Over the past few weeks I have heard from small sawmillers who are right now looking for work interstate or are in danger of missing out on contracts because they cannot access enough timber.
I am advised that a number of these sawmillers and forestry workers have contacted Legislative Councillors to make it clear that Tasmanian jobs are on the line if the legislation isn’t passed.
This legislation is also a test for Labor and Rebecca White.
Will they continue to ignore the will of the Tasmanian people as expressed at the last election?
If they do it will once again show that the Labor is still captive to the Greens and that while it might be a new leader, it’s the same old Labor.
Guy Barnett, Minister for Resources
