Treasurer
Minister for Local Government
Minister for State Growth
Liberal Member for Bass

Forest Deal funding process sham
 

Monday July 8, 2013 
 

Regional Councils are right to be upset at the rushed and political process for the allocation of funding from the Forestry Deal.

It’s clear that this program is not a job-creation program, it’s a Labor re-election plan.

There is no proper process for the allocation of this funding, and projects will be decided on the basis of the political whim of Federal and State Labor.

The funding was originally meant to be as compensation for regional communities impacted by Labor’s forestry sell-out to the Greens, yet it’s now being used to fund Labor’s election package for Tasmania, the so-called “jobs and growth” plan.

The Liberals have consistently opposed the Forest Deal because we don’t support the shutting down of the forest industry, and buying out jobs.

However, if money is going to be spent as a result, it’s critical that it be spent to the greatest benefit for the state, not for the political benefit of Labor and the Greens.