The Gillard Labor Government today committed $20 million to help Tasmanian contractors and their employees respond to the challenges facing the Tasmanian forest industry.
If re-elected, the Gillard Labor Government will meet with the Tasmanian Forest Contractors Association and the Australian Forest Contractors Association within the first month of the new government to work through the detail of the $20 million package.
The Forestry Minister, Tony Burke, also acknowledged the strong representations from the Member for Braddon, Sid Sidebottom, the member for Lyons, Dick Adams, and Labor’s candidate for Bass, Geoff Lyons, on behalf of this key sector of the forestry industry.
He said the forestry industry has strong advocates in the Federal Labor Party.
Mr Burke also reaffirmed Labor’s support for the Regional Forest Agreements and welcomed the bi-partisan support from the Coalition to make the importation of illegal timber a criminal offence.
He said that over the past months there have been significant changes in the international market which have created real challenges for the forestry industry and the communities who rely on it.
A re-elected Gillard Labor Government will continue to work with stakeholders to deliver a sustainable future for Tasmanian forestry.
This commitment will be fully offset over the forward estimates, consistent with the Gillard Labor Government’s commitment to return the budget to surplus in three years.
