Mr Bob Ansells
The flare-up of conflict over logging has been linked to the departure of four out of six Forestry Tasmania board members, including chairman Bob Annells. Source: ABC News
Resources Minister Paul Harriss said Mr Annells decided not to seek reappointment as head of the government business for “personal reasons”.
“He has done a very, very good job, in terms of his leadership of Forestry Tasmania during a particularly difficult time,” Mr Harriss said.
But the State Opposition and the Tasmanian Greens believe the departure of more than half of the board suggests a disagreement with government direction.
Labor leader Bryan Green blamed the Minister’s mismanagement of the forestry portfolio.
“He [Harriss] wants the old wars back, the forest wars,” Mr Green said.
“Bob Annells was trying to move the business forward so that it was market driven as opposed to supply driven.
“Of course a person who wants to maintain his credibility like Bob Annells would choose to leave.”
Tasmanian Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said Mr Annells and at least two other outgoing board members supported the Tasmanian forest peace process.
Terry Edwards from the Forest Industries Association said he had not had an easy time at the helm of the government business.
“In extremely difficult circumstances where we’ve had a very high Australian dollar,” he said. “The amount of forest area available to Forestry Tasmania has been decimated to the point where it’s only 50% of what it once was and I think he’s done a very, very good job and I think it’s unfortunate that he’s chosen not to continue.”
He said Mr Annells had always acted in a manner consistent with the government’s intentions.
