Minister for Resources Guy Barnett has flatly refused to back his government's previous commitments to the Tasmanian timber industry.
"Today in Budget Estimates, Resources Minister Guy Barnett flat out refused to commit to ensuring the supply of the Legislated 137,000 cubic metres of sawlogs from Sustainable Timber Tasmania," Dr Broad said.
"Mr Barnett also refused to commit to giving the Tasmanian timber industry priority for native timber from the permanent production zone and from pruned and thinned plantations.
"And the Minister refused to rule out stripping category 2 sawlogs from smaller saw mills to make up short falls in category one supply, something that would devastate the country sawmillers."
Dr Broad said it was clear Minister Barnett was more interested in politics than backing the Tasmanian timber industry.
"Minister Barnett refused to deny STT is selling native logs to Victoria ahead of the Tasmanian timber industry.
"If this is true then this is a flat-out betrayal of the state by the Minister and is one of a number of key commitments he refused to deny or rule out today.
"If Mr Barnett really supports Tasmania's timber industry he should be helping it, not causing confusion and putting priority on our interstate counterparts."
Shane Broad MP
Shadow Minister for Resources
