[Greens-Media] Greens slam Tasmanian forest payouts management

[Hetherington, Alison (Sen C. Milne)]

MEDIA RELEASE



Wednesday 19 June 2013



Greens slam Tasmanian forest payouts management



The Australian Greens have slammed the design and management of the recent $45 million Tasmanian forest contractor exit program after the release today of a Senate inquiry report into the program.



"The Senate inquiry has confirmed the Auditor-General's criticism of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, which kept inadequate records, distributed grants before writing compliance and risk management plans, and did not follow its own grant guidelines, " Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne said.



"I am now calling for a restructure of the federal department to take away all of its forestry responsibilities and distribute those to other departments, including Industry, Environment and Climate Change.



"The government must explain why the department ignored the objectives of the program for reduced harvest and haulage volume and why it ignored the specific eligibility criteria to allow grants to be made to ineligible applicants.



"Exit means exit. Any future exit programs should require exit and be designed to eliminate loopholes which allow people to take the money and stay in the industry.



"In relation to Forestry Tasmania, the department's decision to press ahead with contractor payouts when it knew Forestry Tasmania intended to replace retired harvesting and haulage volume was a waste of public money and the minister should take responsibility so that it doesn't happen again.



"There are questions to answer about the process Forestry Tasmania undertook to decide which contractors it supported to exit the industry and which contractors would receive a boost to volumes as a result.



"The Tasmanian Parliament's Select Committee should examine this closely.



"Given the department's record, an independent auditor should be appointed to its internal audit committee to provide better oversight of program design and implementation," Senator Milne said.



The Green's additional comments are at the end of the committee's report which is on the internet here: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate_Committees?url=rrat_ctte/anao_tas_forests_reports/index.htm.

 Media Contact:          Georgie Klug 0438 376 082