The Tasmanian Greens today raised concerns over the status of thousands of hectares of Crown land currently under forestry plantations, which have been left stranded as a result of Gunns’ collapse, and which could now become a major financial liability for the state.
In State Parliament today, Greens Forestry spokesperson Kim Booth MP questioned the Resources Minister on what he knew about who currently owned the trees, what the leasing arrangements were, and who is managing the assets.
Mr Booth referred to Treasury’s April 2013 publication Structural Change in the Tasmanian Economy which states that:
“The Plantation industry and Gunns Ltd were affected by the collapse of a number of Managed Investment Schemes, which had resulted in a sizeable expansion of plantation forestry on Crown Land.”
“The Minister did not even appear to know who owns the trees, let alone whether lease fees are still being paid to the crown for these disastrous investments,” Mr Booth said.
“This exposes the massive policy blunder of Labor and Liberal Parties in supporting the expansion of the pulp wood plantation estate in order to service a pulp mill that was always a mirage.”
“It’s looking like the Crown might now be stuck with a massive, weed ridden crop of trees for which there’s no market and no return to the taxpayer.”
“The Greens are calling on the Minister to obtain formal advice about the ownership and liability issues relating to these now dud plantations.”
• TT earlier: Gunns liquidator to sell timber plantations
• Kim Booth: Crown plantations fees paid up. Private growers in the cold
