Ta Ann has today announced it will shed an entire shift at the two Tasmanian mills – a direct consequence of market attacks by environmental groups.
The company’s sales have dropped by 50 per cent in Japan thanks to ongoing campaigns run by groups such as Markets for Change, Huon Valley Environment Centre and GetUp. Some of the activities of these groups are allegedly funded by wealthy individuals.
“Wealthy hobby activists might enjoy dabbling in politics, but they have no concept of the deeply damaging effect of their actions,” CFMEU Forestry and Furnishing Division President, Jane Calvert said.
“It’s time these wealthy individuals faced up to the deep social consequences of their actions and dropped their campaign against honest working people.
“Surely the livelihood of working men and women is more important than winning bragging rights at a dinner party?
“It’s a disgrace that a small number of wealthy individuals with a social interest in environmental politics can wreak such devastating soial and economic damage.
"These people should turn off the funding, stop the anti-jobs campaigning and allow the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) - the only constructive process for finding a long term solution to the forestry conflict in Tasmania - to reach an agreed outcome."
