The Hodgman government’s decision to sink more public money to commission a further report into establishing a woodchip export facility at Hobart’s Macquarie Wharf is a ludicrous and backwards step, Greens Leader and Forestry spokesperson Kim Booth MP said.
“Tasmania and potential investors needed to hear a clear and unequivocal commitment from the Premier ruling out compulsory acquisition of the Triabunna mill site in response to the formal Interim Report of the Parliamentary Committee, but instead we were provided further woodchip madness,” Mr Booth said.
“This madness about exporting woodchips from Macquarie Point reeks of desperation, and fails the test of common-sense.”
"Instead of exporting public dollars from Triabunna, the Hodgman regime looks set to export public dollars from Hobart, all due to their failure to recognise that the native forest woodchipping industry is going nowhere fast.”
“The Greens are calling for the Premier to publicly rule out compulsory acquisition of part, or all, of the Triabunna woodchip mill site, and to urgently rethink this Macquarie Point woodchip madness,” Mr Booth said.
Mr Booth also raised in Parliament today concerns over a bizarre plan for a barge facility to export woodchips from the Southern Forests, which currently has a development application before the Huon Valley Council.
"At first when I saw the Teopea Pty Ltd DA for the Huon River, I thought it must be April Fools day but then I noticed that the Crown was involved as one of the land owners, which makes it clear that no matter how stupid the idea, it could still get up."
“This DA outlines the plan’s provision for large barges in Waterloo Bay on the Huon River, to transfer woodchips and logs onto larger ships moored in deeper water for export.”
"Exporting woodchips by reloading them from barges is the sort of thing that happens in third world countries, and the Hodgman government needs to disclose publicly the extent of its involvement in this bizarre proposal," Mr Booth said.