The Hodgman Liberal Government is providing relief for former native forest contractors who continue to suffer hardship as a result of the devastation caused by the failed forestry policies of the previous Labor-Green government.
The Government has reallocated $1 million in Commonwealth funds, which remain unspent from previous compensation schemes for a limited hardship relief program.
Today, I am pleased to announce details of the hardship program are now available and applications open.
The assistance will be targeted at former Forestry Tasmania and Gunns contractors and sub-contractors who were not eligible for previous industry exit programs and employee assistance programs.
Individual payments will be capped at $10,000.
The program will be administered independently by Tasmanian company Wise, Lord & Ferguson.
Full details can be obtained from the Department of State Growth website at www.stategrowth.tas.gov.au/forestry/past_native_forest_contractor_hardship_relief_program
Importantly, this is a hardship program – not another compensation program.
It would be impossible at this stage to adequately compensate people for the damage that they and their families have suffered as a result of the collapse of the forestry industry under the former government.
This hardship program will draw a line under assistance for the consequences of the Labor-Green failures.
Decisions on the allocation of any further funding remaining from previous assistance schemes will reflect the Government’s focus on growing our forest industries, and be made in consultation with the Australian Government.