The Tasmanian Government is proposing to establish an independent statutory body to manage commercial forests as part of the restructure of Forestry Tasmania.

 

The Acting Tasmanian Premier Bryan Green said the  Forestry Sub Committee of Cabinet would be re-convened to ask the Forestry Tasmania Transition Oversight Committee to look at this option as a priority.

 

"All options will be considered by the Forestry Sub Committee of Cabinet and ultimately Cabinet.

 

"The decision has been made to separate the commercial and non-commercial operations of Forestry Tasmania as recommended by the independent URS report and we are progressing that.

 

"The Government is strongly focussed on ensuring we have a sustainable commercial forest manager and a strong and robust industry for the future.

 

"We acknowledge the importance of this issue as a key to the consideration of durability under the interim agreement, and that this is especially critical for industry.

 

"We are as close as we have ever been to a resolution to the forest debate in Tasmania and it is vitally important that the industry remain in negotiations with the signatories to reach agreement.

 

"I appreciate how complex and difficult this process has been but also the goodwill and resolve of the signatories to reach agreement.

 

Mr Green said the forest agreement was the best way forward.

 

"It is crucial that we continue to work towards a resolution that provides certainty of supply to the industry long into the future.

 

"The TFA has already supported the industry and regional communities across Tasmania with more than $100 million to assist the restructuring of the sector in an effort to end the decade's long conflict in our forests," Mr Green said.