Advanced Search

Share Coverage



Category: Forestry / States and Territories / Timber

Leaked letter reveals growing opposition to plans to unlock reserved forests

Friday, 18 Nov 2016 12:04:15

Guy Barnett said ARTEC was entitled to its view but the logging plan remained. (ABC News)

The Tasmanian Government is persisting with plans to open up 400,000 hectares of quarantined land for logging, despite a major timber processor revealing it is opposed to the changes.

A letter leaked to the media reveals more opposition from within the industry to the plan to allow loggers into reserved forests.

Last month, the Government announced it would unlock the reserved land, two years earlier than legislation allows, after promising to rip up the Tasmanian Forest Agreement (TFA) in the 2014 election.

Scott Arnold, owner of timber processor ARTEC, wrote to Resources Minister, Guy Barnett, opposing the change.

"Please be advised that ARTEC does not support this proposal unless it is signed off by all signatories to the Tasmanian Forest Agreement (TFA)," he wrote.

"We urge you not jeopardise our international markets by taking action that would cause any of the signatories to the TFA to walk away."

The Minister said he was disappointed the letter was leaked to the media.

External Link: Tweet by Leon Compton

"In terms of that response, they are entitled to their view and they will of course be entitled to access timber from elsewhere, it's not compulsory," Mr Barett said.

"We had an election we said no more lock ups, the Tasmanian people said no more lock ups, so we've taken that on board, we've acted and the production and the production forest will be made available."

Earlier this month, timber processor Ta Ann Tasmania also said it would continue to source wood from areas agreed to under the former forest peace deal.

Sawmiller Matthew Torenius also expressed reservations about the changes saying the plans could spark anti-logging protests.

Greens leader Cassy O'Connor said the letter proved the Government had no social licence.

"It does make you wonder who the Government actually spoke to before they announced a plan to go into the high conservation value forests," she said.

"Guy Barnett's looking very lonely up there arguing for logging in these beautiful forests.

"It's very clear that a major player in the timber industry in Tasmania does not support the Government's plan, they don't want to go into Tasmania's forests."

AustraliaPlus


 

Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

沪公网安备 31010602000204号

Email this to your friend