[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Letter to Bartlett re N-E Feasibility Study_K Booth MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

SCOTTSDALE FEASIBILITY STUDY: GREENS WRITE TO BARTLETT REQUESTING TERMS
OF REFERENCE

Federal $2 Million Should Speed Up Process

Kim Booth MP
Greens Shadow Forestry spokesperson

Sunday, 10 August 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today released a letter they have written to the
Premier, David Bartlett, in which they reiterated their request for the
release of the terms of reference for the feasibility study promised by
Labor following the closure of Gunns' ex-Auspine mill at Scottsdale,
saying that given the prospect of the Federal $2 million being
redirected to the north-east region clarity is needed over the type of
projects that will be assessed by the study.

Greens Shadow Forestry spokesperson and Member for Bass Kim Booth MP
said that he had also enclosed with his letter to the Premier an
industry proposal for a radial sawmill to be established at Scottsdale,
which he believes should be examined by the government's feasibility
study along with the Greens' proposal for a community operated sawmill
and training centre (see attached).

"Now that the Federal government has said that it wants the $2 million
that it is now not going to provide Gunns Ltd, to be invested into the
north-east, it is imperative that Premier Bartlett match his talk with
action and begin by releasing the terms of reference for his promised
$100, 000 feasibility study into rebuilding options for the Scottsdale
region," Mr Booth said.

"The Greens have written to Mr Bartlett, reiterating our request for the
feasibility study's terms of reference, given that it is now a month
since the study was announced, and also for a guarantee that industry
suggestions such as Radial Corporation for a radial sawmill operation
will be included in the scope of the study."

 "Radials proposal has come as a result of our call for a community
owned mill and is an exciting proposition that uses smart technology to
enable the safe and efficient processing of small diameter logs whilst
yielding a much higher quality and quantity of useful timber."

"Suggestions such as the radial quartersawing and backsawing operations
should be included as I believe that it presents a good skill fit and an
appropriate scale fit for the forestry industry in the north-east
region."

"Similarly, we are still waiting to hear whether the Bartlett
government's study will assess the Greens' proposal for a community
operated diversified wood processing and training mill, which should
receive fair consideration given the Premier's previous acknowledgement
that he does not 'own' all good ideas and will instead assess proposals
upon their merits."

"It is heartening to see that there are a variety of options for
boosting the plantation-based forestry industry in the north-east, but
which focus on skill building, better career paths and growing jobs,
rather than merely focusing on export volumes, but we are still waiting
to see whether they will be given fair consideration by the Bartlett
government." 

"The government has a direct responsibility to the Scottsdale community
to make up for the job losses that have arisen directly due to Labor
selling the pine plantations and then failing to ensure the Crowns
remaining log share stayed in Scottsdale for processing."

"The community is anxious to see that Bartlett's actions match his
rhetoric," Mr Booth said.



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