Media Release

Peter Gutwein MP
Shadow Minister for Forestry

Tuesday 15th March, 2011

Government must release moratorium lock up detail

The Labor-Green Government must immediately release the maps detailing exactly what forest areas will be locked up under the moratorium from the Statement of Principles.

The Tasmanian Liberals understand the areas to be locked up under the proposed moratorium is exactly the same as the State Green’s 2010 election policy and builds upon Mark Latham’s disastrous 2004 Federal Labor election policy.

The Government has signed up to the State Greens policy which is a full strength version of Mark Latham’s disastrous and unpopular 2004 forest election policy without planning for the estimated $800 million in compensation that was needed then and may be needed now.

The Premier Lara Giddings has refused to answer questions today in Parliament on the issue, so we ask again:

• How much money is needed to implement the moratorium and the phasing out of native forest harvesting?
• Has a request to the Federal Government been made and when was this done?
• What exactly will any money received be used for?

Ms Giddings refuses to see that regardless of any compensation process, the moratorium and the Statement of Principles will cost thousands of jobs and shutdown regional communities.