Media Release

Peter Gutwein MP
Shadow Minister for Forestry

Monday 23rd May, 2011

Environment Tasmania ads

More bullets are being fired in the forest debate while the parties are supposedly negotiating “peace” than at any time in recent memory.

The latest public attack on Tasmania’s forest industry by environmental groups, including some who are part of the so-called “peace talks”, highlights the farcical nature of these talks.

Lara Giddings has infamously claimed that these talks will lead to “peace in our time” yet these latest ads – and the continued forest protests - prove the opposite.

Everybody knows that appeasement doesn’t work. Rather than trying to keep Nick McKim happy by kow-towing to him and shutting the forest industry down, Ms Giddings should show some leadership, abandon the disastrous Statement of Principles and instead adopt the Liberals’ balanced, 13-point plan.

In regard to Forestry Tasmania, the Liberals want Forestry Tasmania to return better dividends to Tasmanians, that’s why we announced we wanted a review of Forestry Tasmania last year. But we certainly don’t support closing Forestry Tasmania down.