Media Release

Peter Gutwein MP
Shadow Minister for Forestry

Wednesday 9th March, 2011

Bryan-Greenlights thousands of job losses

The Resources Minister Bryan Green failed to provide answers to the questions he was asked in Parliament today, avoiding telling the truth about the state his Labor-Green Government will put the forestry industry in if the disastrous statement of principles introduces its moratorium on native forest harvesting next week.

The CRC Report on Forestry released late last year states that there are 4650 direct jobs in the native forest sector in Tasmania, and that each of those jobs support two indirect jobs in the community.

As the proposed moratorium proposed under the Statement of Principles will mean that 50 per cent of the industry will be shut down at least 2000 direct and 4000 indirect jobs will be lost in Tasmania.

Mr Green fails to recognize the damage to families, local communities and our broader economy of 6000 people joining the unemployment queue as a result of this flawed Statement of Principles process which has been agreed to and supported by the Labor Green Government.

How can he stand by and allow the flawed statement of principles to march towards the inevitable conclusion of decimating jobs and destroying regional communities.

The Liberals believe our balanced 13-point forestry plan provides a positive alternative to the disastrous Statement of Principles. Ours is a balanced plan that calls for a triple bottom line assessment before any decisions in regards to our forestry sector are taken.

Mr Green seems not to care about the damage his silent acceptance of what is occurring is causing.