FORESTRY Tasmania will remain a government business enterprise, but will undergo a major reform that may include the sale of its plantation reserves. Resources Minister Paul Harriss will today unveil the government’s plans for Forestry Tasmania, after receiving a report on the ongoing viability of the company. It had been suggested that the company could be absorbed into a government department, however The Examiner understands that it will continue to operate as a state-owned business. But the restructure could include the sale of some of Forestry Tasmania’s eucalyptus plantation reserves, which represent around 12 per cent of the company’s productive forests. A spokeswoman for timber giant New Forests would not comment on the possible sale but said the company maintained a ‘‘strong interest in acquiring plantation assets in Australia’’. New Forests last year bought the plantation reserves owned by collapsed company Gunns, and established Forico as its Tasmanian arm to manage and harvest the areas. Resources Minister Paul Harriss yesterday pledged that the government would not spend ‘‘one red cent’’ on Forestry Tasmania’s commercial operations. ‘‘We committed to put the business on a long-term sustainable footing and to end the funding from the Consolidated Fund and the Ministerial Statement I will be delivering tomorrow will confirm that is the case,’’ he said. Opposition Leader Bryan Green said the government had been too secretive over its plans for Forestry Tasmania. ‘‘I’m not sure what the government are going to do,’’ he said. ‘‘Remember it was Paul Harriss and the Liberals that promised to defund Forestry Tasmania so that they could stand on their own two feet.’’ Greens leader Kim Booth said the government appeared to be divided on the issue. ‘‘The Greens have it on solid advice that it took at least three attempts to get the co-signed Treasurer Gutwein and Minister Harriss proposal through cabinet,’’ he said. Premier Will Hodgman refused to comment on what had happened in cabinet.
FORESTRY Tasmania will remain a government business enterprise, but will undergo a major reform that may include the sale of its plantation reserves.
Resources Minister Paul Harriss will today unveil the government’s plans for Forestry Tasmania, after receiving a report on the ongoing viability of the company.
It had been suggested that the company could be absorbed into a government department, however The Examiner understands that it will continue to operate as a state-owned business.
But the restructure could include the sale of some of Forestry Tasmania’s eucalyptus plantation reserves, which represent around 12 per cent of the company’s productive forests.
A spokeswoman for timber giant New Forests would not comment on the possible sale but said the company maintained a ‘‘strong interest in acquiring plantation assets in Australia’’.
New Forests last year bought the plantation reserves owned by collapsed company Gunns, and established Forico as its Tasmanian arm to manage and harvest the areas.
Resources Minister Paul Harriss yesterday pledged that the government would not spend ‘‘one red cent’’ on Forestry Tasmania’s commercial operations.
‘‘We committed to put the business on a long-term sustainable footing and to end the funding from the Consolidated Fund and the Ministerial Statement I will be delivering tomorrow will confirm that is the case,’’ he said.
Opposition Leader Bryan Green said the government had been too secretive over its plans for Forestry Tasmania.
‘‘I’m not sure what the government are going to do,’’ he said.
‘‘Remember it was Paul Harriss and the Liberals that promised to defund Forestry Tasmania so that they could stand on their own two feet.’’
Greens leader Kim Booth said the government appeared to be divided on the issue.
‘‘The Greens have it on solid advice that it took at least three attempts to get the co-signed Treasurer Gutwein and Minister Harriss proposal through cabinet,’’ he said.
Premier Will Hodgman refused to comment on what had happened in cabinet.
