Gavin Pearce privately supported Rushy Lagoon sale, Labor says

Labor has accused Primary Industries Minister Gavin Pearce of privately telling Gresham House that he supported its proposal for Rushy Lagoon, believed that landowners should be able to use their property as they saw fit, and even gave them his personal phone number so he could help troubleshoot any problems.

Labor MP Shane Broad brought up the matter in parliament today, asking Mr Pearce if the conversation had taken place – who did not deny or confirm it took place.

“I have no issue with foreign investment. I have no issue with plantation forestry. I have no issue with Gresham House,” Mr Pearce said.

“What I have an issue with is the federal government’s process and the $69 million Clean Energy Finance Corporation money and the Plantation Investment Fund being used to inappropriately advantage one purchaser over another.”

Mr Broad accused Mr Pearce of hypocrisy.

“Rushy Lagoon has a bright future. Work is already underway to improve the property, with plans for less than half of the land to be planted with pine for sawlog production, creating jobs while allowing cattle production and irrigated cropping to continue,” he said.

“I want to see more investment, more jobs and more productive activity in regional Tasmania.

“Unfortunately, Gavin Pearce and the Liberals seem more interested in a political witch-hunt than giving institutional investors the confidence to back Tasmania.”