….But Government is Not Negotiating

The Tasmanian Greens today revealed that the person who has come forward as the so called ‘unknown shareholder’ in the Melba Railway Line sale between Asciano and the Tasmanian Government is retired Civil Engineer, Terry Croft, the grandson of Sir Gerald Mussen, the founder of the APPM Pulp and Paper Mill at Burnie.

Greens Infrastructure spokesperson Tim Morris MP said that contrary to the impression created by the Minister for Infrastructure, Mr Sturges last week that the State Government was negotiating with Mr Croft over the purchase of his 1925 debenture issued by the Emu Bay Railway Company, they have not offered to meet him, nor begun negotiations, but rather plan to legislate away his entitlement.

“Mr Terry Croft does have a legitimate debenture issued by the Emu Bay Railway Company and that it has some rights attached to it and that the only legitimate way for the Government to complete an ethical purchase of the Melba Line is to purchase Mr Crofts debenture at a fair and reasonable price; not to legislate to deprive him of his rights,” Mr Morris said.

“Mr Croft inherited the debenture from his mother, whose father, Sir Gerald Mussen established the APPM paper mill at Burnie and the debentures were originally issued by the Emu Bay Railway Company in 1925 in order to raise £262,000 in order to reconstruct their railway line, at least in part because of the potential to transport wood to the proposed pulpmill being developed by Mr Mussen.”

“I find it unacceptable that the Crown Solicitor is recommending that the Government should enact legislation to resolve the title issues on the Melba line and that the same legislation should provide compensation to Mr Croft; the only ethical way is for the Government to negotiate for the purchase of Mr Croft’s debenture which would then clearly leave the government with legitimate ownership of the railway line.”

“I call upon the Minister to contact Mr Croft and enter into negotiations and seek to get a settlement before bringing any draconian legislation into the Parliament that would strip away personal rights and entitlements that Mr Croft has as a result of his ownership of the debenture,” Mr Morris said.
Tim Morris MP Greens Infrastructure Spokesperson