5 March 2012
Statement by Troy Harper – TCCI Chairman
TASMANIA’S peak business body, the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) has welcomed the commitment of the State Liberals to provide for resource security for the forest industry if elected to Government.
TCCI Chairman Troy Harper said resource security was a key to future investment, lower sovereign risk and sustainable economic development.
“If investors are not confident about future resource security, Tasmania will not receive the investment it requires to meet the needs of present and future generations,” Mr Harper said.
“We also need to lower sovereign risk for other resource-based sectors that are increasingly coming under threat from the extreme environmental movement, such as aquaculture, farming and mining.
“Moves such as the potential heritage listing of the Tarkine and the Tasmanian Forests Inter-government Agreement will restrict future economic development opportunities, regardless of the current volatile state of world markets” Mr Harper said.
“The TCCI supports a sustainable Tasmania and this means giving consideration to environmental, economic and social considerations,” Mr Harper said.
The TCCI’s Chief Economist Mark Bowles said the Tasmania Government should also make a commitment to give sustainable resource security and fully account for the impact of any decisions that restrict future development.
“Decisions to deny future generations the opportunity of sustainable resource use must be subject to rigorous economic impact assessment.
“While global demand conditions have hurt the forestry industry, it is quite likely that over the long term China will be a source of strong demand growth.
“In view of this, the Tasmanian Forests IGA should not proceed without a full Regulatory Impact Statement followed by public consultation and must also include a 15-year sunset clause in line with the Commonwealth grants that flow from the agreement,” Mr Bowles said.
For more information contact:
Troy Harper – 0438 583 212,
Mark Bowles – 0418 967 377