Media Release

Peter Gutwein MP
Shadow Minister for Forestry

Saturday 14th January, 2012

“Peace” deal comprehensively fails – rip it up

Now that the Greens and ENGOs have confirmed that they are unwilling to provide peace in return for an additional 428,000 hectares of our productive native forests being locked-up, the Premier has no option but to rip-up the disastrous deal.

Otherwise the forest industry will have been literally cut in half, thousands of forest workers will have lost their jobs, and the amount of Tasmania’s native productive native forest locked-up will have increased from 47% to a massive 58% - all for nothing.

Premier Lara Giddings and her hapless Forestry Minister Bryan Green have constantly claimed that this deal would bring “peace for our time.” The Green response to yesterday’s lock-up confirms that the Premier, and the deal, has categorically failed.

The only certainty this deal provides is the certainty that our once proud forest industry will be cut in half – and that the so-called “Forest Wars” will continue because the Greens have once again demonstrated they will never be satisfied.

Just like in 1990, 1997, and 2005, the Greens promise peace in return for more forest lock ups, and each time they have broken their promise.

It’s time for the Premier to finally admit the folly of her attempted appeasement, ditch the Greens, and instead work with the Liberals to grow the forest industry, which is one of the cornerstone industries of our economy.