Tas forest report to un wrong hutchinson 20160322 p5u6b9.html – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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Forest report should not be accepted: MP

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State and federal governments are wrong to accept a report opposed to harvesting special species timber in Tasmania's Wilderness World Heritage Area, breakaway Liberal MP Eric Hutchinson says.

The report, released on Sunday and subsequently accepted by the Tasmanian government and federal environment minister Greg Hunt, contains deficient information and is "at best dubious", Mr Hutchinson said.

The report was compiled by members of an international mission which visited Tasmania in late 2015.

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"It is not a report of the World Heritage Committee, it is not a report of UNESCO," Mr Hutchinson said on Tuesday of the document which will be tabled for consideration in June when the committee next meets.

"I believe there are inaccuracies, there are deficiencies within this report that deserve clarification before the committee considers these in June."

And, in the meantime, the first-term MP thinks the state and federal government should reconsider their response.

"What we've arrived at here is a process that was at best dubious through the process that became extraordinarily political that was deficient in so many aspects," Mr Hutchinson said.

The report includes inaccurate volumes of specialty timber that is available outside of the TWWHA, he added.

"My request is for the federal government and the state government to address the inaccuracies that have been documented in the report."

Tasmanian environment minister Matthew Groom on Tuesday reinstated acceptance of the "UN mission's report".

"We're undertaking assessment of resources outside of the world heritage area to develop a plan to ensure a positive future for the special species timber sector," said the minister of the state's next step.

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Andrew Denman from the Timber Alliance said the mission's report shows glaring inaccuracies including a misunderstanding of state legislation.

Despite highlighting the topics during the mission's visit, he said the report still gets it wrong, and it's possible some members of the group came to Tasmania having already made a decision to reject the harvest proposal.

"There are obvious signs of undue influence from environmental NGOs ... such as Environment Tasmania and the Wilderness Society," Mr Denman said.

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