Forest Industries Assn. of Tasmania rejoins forestry peace talks after four-week break; CEO says he will participate until end of November

Wendy Lisney

LOS ANGELES , October 9, 2012 (Industry Intelligence Inc.) – The Forest Industries Association of Tasmania (FIAT) rejoined the forestry peace talks on Oct. 5 after walking away four weeks earlier over the Tasmanian government’s plan to end Forestry Tasmania’s jurisdiction over the state’s production forests, The Mercury reported Oct. 6.

FIAT CEO Terry Edwards said he would participate in the talks until the end of November, at which point the participating parties will either make a deal or agree that one cannot be made.

Edwards said FIAT had rejoined the talks after Tasmania’s Premier Lara Giddings assured the group she would work with the forest industry to address its concerns over the security of wood supplies.

If a deal is not reached by the end of the month, the state government will have to scramble to pass a bill before the beginning of 2013 that would allow for the A$276 million state-federal Intergovernmental Agreement, The Mercury reported.

The primary source of this article is The Mercury, Hobart, Australia, on Oct. 6, 2012.

* All content is copyrighted by Industry Intelligence, or the original respective author or source. You may not recirculate, redistrubte or publish the analysis and presentation included in the service without Industry Intelligence's prior written consent. Please review our terms of use.