In Question Time today Minister for State Growth Matthew Groom refused to rule out public subsidies or peppercorn lease arrangements for developers in Tasmania's wilderness.
"Not content with attempting to shrink the WHA, then rewriting its management plan to allow for logging, mining, jet skis, and rampant development, the Minister has now refused to rule out public subsidies or peppercorn lease arrangements," Greens Parks spokesperson Nick McKim MP said today.
"It looks like we should brace ourselves for yet another bout of crony capitalism from the Liberals, which ultimately discourages private sector investment by increasing sovereign risk."
"I have spoken to many existing tourism operators who are worried about the unfair competitive advantage their competitors look like getting just because they happened to submit to an ad hoc process established by the government," Mr McKim said.