Bartlett forestry deal will reinforce current industry crisis

The Wilderness Society (Tasmania) Inc
Media Release
26 February 2010

The Labor Party’s forest policy released by Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett today is another special deal for the logging industry. The policy does nothing to secure jobs in the forestry industry in the long-term, and keeps that industry locked out of twenty-first century market realities, according to the Wilderness Society.

“It appears that Mr Bartlett wants nothing more than a continuation of environmentally destructive logging and woodchipping of Tasmania’s forests, special deals and taxpayer-funded handouts to the industry, and long-term agreements which keep the industry in a state of crisis,” said Vica Bayley, spokesperson for the Wilderness Society.

“Mr Bartlett has ignored the twin crises in the forestry industry: the destruction of Tasmania’s ancient forests and the job losses the changing market-place is forcing onto Tasmanian workers.

“Instead David Bartlett has done yet another special deal for the logging industry handing over taxpayers money for the benefit of private companies,” said Mr Bayley.

The next Tasmanian Government should take these crises into account and work towards protecting native forests and moving the industry into a more sustainable and socially acceptable future.

“This is an old-style policy reminiscent of the special deals done in the Lennon era. Handing out money and helping projects like the pulp mill and wood-fired power stations should be a thing of the past but Premier Bartlett appears to be keeping it alive.

“All politicians should be seizing the opportunity provided by the downturn in markets for native forest products to develop policies which recognise current day realities. Tasmanians want them to protect Tasmania’s ancient forests and help the workers who need assistance to relocate into the more environmentally friendly and socially acceptable plantation sector,” concluded Mr Bayley.