Chips fly at forum

Barnett fires up at hearing

RESOURCES Minister Guy Barnett has spruiked his party’s forestry policies during a heated Government Business Enterprise hearing.

Mr Barnett was criticised yesterday by members of the Legislative Council committee for his “political” answers to questions as he was quizzed on issues from Forest Stewardship Council certification to the sale of plantations and specialty timbers quotas.

Mr Barnett told the hearing he was “working like a Trojan” to rebuild the forestry industry when asked by Windermere MLC Ivan Dean why specialty timber customers were not receiving the quantity of wood they had expected under changes brought in 2014.

Mr Barnett repeatedly blamed “lockups” under the previous government as being the biggest “stuff-up,” which he said had caused “no end of pain” for the industry.

Committee chair and McIntyre MLC Tania Rattray then asked Mr Barnett to respond to questions in a non-political manner. Rosevears MLC Kerry Finch joined in to ask Mr Barnett not to play the “blame game” over the industry and to answer the question.

Mr Barnett responded he would not be “badgered” by anybody for standing up for the forest industry. “Don’t go having a go at me, I won’t take it,” he told the committee.

The committee heard Sustainable Timber Tasmania is expected to undergo a second audit for Forest Stewardship Council certification early next year. Mr Barnett said a moratorium on logging on Bruny Island remained in place, and he had no time frame as to when it would be lifted.