Ta Ann is lobbying the State Government to broker a last-minute forest agreement to ensure its future in Tasmania. Ta Ann said it feared for its business without the Intergovernmental Agreement after environment groups promised to launch campaigns in Ta Ann’s markets. Source: The Mercury
The plea came as Premier Lara Giddings contacted parties to emphasise the cost of the failure and loss of $100 million over 15 years.
Former premier Paul Lennon criticised both sides for not reaching agreement after two and half years.
“It might not make you that popular to stand up in front of a group of timber workers and tell them it’s in their best interests to come to an agreement with the Greens but it is the right thing to do and sooner or later you have to do the right thing.”
It is understood Ta Ann and the Forest Industries Association of Tasmania have diverged since the talks broke down on Saturday.
Ta Ann, which employs about 130 people in two veneer mills, said it had met Deputy Premier Bryan Green to convey its disappointment about the failure of the IGA process.
“We also expressed deep concern on the immediate future viability of operating our veneer mills in Tasmania without the certainty afforded by an agreement between the parties and under the IGA process,” senior manager resource Greg Hickey said.
