The Tasmanian Greens today said that the Federal Government’s buyout of Ta Ann’s excess peeler billet quota would have been avoided had warnings against entering into the 2006 deal been heeded.
Greens Leader Nick McKim MP said the Greens have never supported Ta Ann’s presence in Tasmania, and had warned the Lennon government against locking in a resource-security style contract that would inevitably leave future governments with a financial liability should public policy change.
“Ignoring the warnings in 2006, the Lennon government, cheered on by the Liberals, locked in a dodgy deal with Ta Ann despite concerns about future financial liability and resource availability.”
“And now, just as the Greens warned at the time the Ta Ann deal was stitched up, the Australian taxpayers are being hit up to undo the terrible mistakes of the past.”
“The Greens want to see Ta Ann out of Tasmania, but a significant reduction of their quota is at least a step in the right direction.”
“The Greens have always said that the Tasmanian Forest Agreement is not perfect and there are aspects that we do not agree with.”
“However, with the slashing of the legislated sawlog quota from 300 000m3 per annum to 137 000m3 per annum, the protection of over 500 000 hectares of high conservation value forest as Future Reserve Land and a nomination to extend the World Heritage Area, we now have the opportunity for bigger conservation gains on the ground than we have seen for decades,” Mr McKim said.
Nick McKim MP Greens Leader Sunday, 23 June 2013
