The Tasmanian Government has ordered an assessment of the size of Tasmania’s privately owned hardwood plantation estate. Source: ABC News
The collapse of Gunns and managed investment schemes has left an estimated 200 landowners owed millions in annual lease payments.
The Government is trying to find out just how many trees they are growing, and what kind.
It has appointed a panel led by former Federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson to recommend ways to enhance the trees’ value.
“We’re talking about an asset that’s sitting there at the moment, underutilised, people have invested their futures in it,” Ferguson said.
“How can we help them realise their original investments?”
Resources Minister Bryan Green said the Government had not been able to help farmers until now because of legal issues around the collapse of the companies.
“Farmers have lost an enormous amount of value in recent times as a result of not getting any payments from the managed investment schemes and or Gunns,” the minister said.
“They’re uncertain as to their future. We want to provide certainty for those people.”
The panel includes representatives from the Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA) and Private Forests Tasmania.
The TFGA’s Peter Skillern said he hopes the panel will provide hope for farmers who have lost money in failed plantation schemes, including those managed by Gunns.
“I think the number one issue is about building value back into these trees to give this asset some value and, coupled with that, is to make sure that gives farmers and landowners generally a positive view…the security to know that they can invest in these crops in the future.”
It is expected to report back to Government later this year.
