Ferguson Performs CPR On MIS Tree Plantations

Recently unemployed ex-minister Martin Ferguson was called-in by the Labor-Greens government of Tasmania to find out why revenue from MIS tree plantations have collapsed. The holy grail of plantations was always a pulp mill and the government that appointed him certainly still believe in the holy grail so why wouldn't Ferguson? This report from the ABC.
Former Federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson says there's a sense of desperation amongst Tasmanian plantation owners caught up in the Gunns and MIS collapse.
Mr Ferguson made the comment after the first public forum held to discuss the fate of Tasmania's privately owned hardwood plantations.
The former minister is chairing the panel set up last month by the State Government to map out the future of the plantations in the wake of the failure of Gunns, Forest Enterprises Australia and other managed investment schemes.
Mr Ferguson says he'll be talking with the federal Coalition government because both sides of politics have a responsibility to find a solution.
"Managed investment schemes at the time were seen as the appropriate way forward," he said.
"There was an option of a pulp mill.
"How do we create an incentive to have a supply of timber and to encourage people to invest and get a return on their investment?
"Experience has shown it wasn't potentially the best way forward. We learn from that.
"But having got people to actually take on this risk, we've now got to work out how we get them out of this difficulty."
The panel held its first public forum in Hobart today and will be holding more public meetings in Launceston tomorrow.