Page two of today’s Weekend Australian states that Erich Abetz is promoting the tearing up and unwinding of the TFA and hence the roll back of the World Heritage Listing of Tasmania’s Old Growth/ Native Forests as agreed under the Tasmanian Forest Agreement (TFA).
In his own words: “He intends to deliver to the thousands of Tasmanians who endorsed our policy”.
Abetz is now under a cloud in the Senate with Abbott and is being considered for possible removal from the position of Leader of the Government in the Senate. Abetz has lost – against his will – his Chief of Staff and long-time senior advisor Chris Fryer. This would seem to be a sensible move by his fellows to weaken the position of this dangerous and embittered Senator.
Think Godwin Grech and Malcom Turnbull – a move that gave Abbott the leadership of the party. Now Abbott is Prime Minister, does he need Abetz?
Hodgman’s chance to take the reins of power after the last State Election were dashed at the last minute by Abetz, the acknowledged Green Hater. Abetz refused him any form of accommodation or alliance with the Greens whose elected members are one of the few sources of sanity in the current Tasmanian parliament.
I ask: Did the extreme Right of the Liberal Party under Gutwein and Abetz dictate to Hodgman this potentially suicidal Liberal forestry position?
It is, I suggest, a position that should be encouraged by all thinking Tasmanians for the following reasons:
1. The forestry industry in this state needs to gain FSC accreditation to stay in business. The Tasmanian Forest Agreement has allowed the throwing off of the unbelievable sum of 7 million dollars at obtaining, or probably buying, a result. The industry in Tasmania will never gain FSC if it attempts to roll back the UNESCO listing.
2. Without FSC accreditation Ta Ann will be unable to sell its veneered products and will leave the State.
3. Without Ta Ann and its contracts Forestry Tasmania will be an even larger drag on the public purse and will be forced to fold.
4. The logging industry cannot get FSC over plantations on cleared and burnt Native Forests. On all other sources of wood it must have FSC to stay in business.
5. A pulp mill with wood sourced from non FSC accredited timber will never be built as the product is unsaleable. Korda Mentha will not find a buyer until FSC is granted over the Tasmanian timber supply to the Mill.
6. The Liberals will be exposed at the next election if they back a pulp mill with taxpayers’ money or agree to quarantine losses without FSC.
In order to spite the Greens, Abetz – with his undying hatred and tunnel vision – will smash the logging industry in this State.
Abetz sat illegally in the Upper House of the Federal Parliament from 1994 until 2010. In 1994 he filled a casual vacancy without renouncing his German citizenship; a citizenship he renounced in 2010. You cannot renounce a citizenship you do not have nor can you legally sit in the Parliament as a dual national.
His Channel Highway tax affairs as enumerated by me on Tasmanian Times over the last three years ( http://oldtt.pixelkey.biz/index.php/article/abetz-and-channel-highway-land-deals ) still remain a matter of great speculation.
As the controlling Tasmanian representative in the Senate his exclusive policy of rolling back the World Heritage Listing does Australia and Tasmania no favours.
Will Abbott dump him?
