THE state government says it ‘‘does not envisage’’ Forestry Tasmania selling land as part of the sale of the company’s hardwood plantation reserves. Forestry Tasmania will be allowed to sell some of its plantation resources as part of a plan to inject more money into the struggling company. Labor has accused the government of breaking an election promise over asset sales, but Treasurer Peter Gutwein said it was a case of ‘‘selling the crop, not selling the farm’’. ‘‘Forestry Tasmania is in the business of selling trees – all we’re doing is changing the timing of that,’’ he said. ‘‘Very clearly, the government does not envisage selling the land.’’ The government this week announced a restructure of the state-owned company that will result in an unknown number of job losses. As part of the reform, it will be up to the industry to find a use or export facility for Southern timber exports through an expression of interest process. Greens leader Kim Booth said Forestry Tasmania should be harvesting the plantations, rather than native forests. ‘‘The only feasible reason for [Resources Minister Paul Harriss] to deliberately choose to lock Tasmania into a losing and uncompetitive commercial operation is his ideological and sheer bloody-minded obsession with trashing our native forests,’’ Mr Booth said. Opposition Leader Bryan Green unsuccessfully moved a no-confidence motion against Mr Harriss, accusing him of selling out Forestry Tasmania’s future. ‘‘Mr Harriss is now trying to tell Tasmanians he has a mandate to sell public assets and to sack workers whose jobs he solemnly promised to protect,’’ Mr Green said. ‘‘What Mr Harriss is effectively doing is selling out the forest industry and absolving himself of any responsibility for growing the sector as he promised.’’ Mr Gutwein said the no-confidence motion was designed to distract from Labor’s own problems.
THE state government says it ‘‘does not envisage’’ Forestry Tasmania selling land as part of the sale of the company’s hardwood plantation reserves.
Forestry Tasmania will be allowed to sell some of its plantation resources as part of a plan to inject more money into the struggling company.
Labor has accused the government of breaking an election promise over asset sales, but Treasurer Peter Gutwein said it was a case of ‘‘selling the crop, not selling the farm’’.
‘‘Forestry Tasmania is in the business of selling trees – all we’re doing is changing the timing of that,’’ he said.
‘‘Very clearly, the government does not envisage selling the land.’’
The government this week announced a restructure of the state-owned company that will result in an unknown number of job losses.
As part of the reform, it will be up to the industry to find a use or export facility for Southern timber exports through an expression of interest process.
Greens leader Kim Booth said Forestry Tasmania should be harvesting the plantations, rather than native forests.
‘‘The only feasible reason for [Resources Minister Paul Harriss] to deliberately choose to lock Tasmania into a losing and uncompetitive commercial operation is his ideological and sheer bloody-minded obsession with trashing our native forests,’’ Mr Booth said.
Opposition Leader Bryan Green unsuccessfully moved a no-confidence motion against Mr Harriss, accusing him of selling out Forestry Tasmania’s future.
‘‘Mr Harriss is now trying to tell Tasmanians he has a mandate to sell public assets and to sack workers whose jobs he solemnly promised to protect,’’ Mr Green said.
‘‘What Mr Harriss is effectively doing is selling out the forest industry and absolving himself of any responsibility for growing the sector as he promised.’’
Mr Gutwein said the no-confidence motion was designed to distract from Labor’s own problems.
