Gavin Pearce exposed as hypocrite on forestry investment

Gavin Pearce has been exposed as a complete hypocrite over the Rushy Lagoon sale – by attacking Commonwealth support for plantation forestry investment on farmland as a “distortion”.

That’s because in 2020, as a federal Liberal MP, he proudly promoted Commonwealth support for plantation forestry in Northern Tasmania.

Mr Pearce stood in a plantation welcoming measures that allowed forestry projects to generate carbon credits and access the Federal Government’s $2 billion Climate Solutions Fund.

The Liberals said those incentives would attract investment, create jobs, and support more plantations and downstream processing when it was their scheme.

Now that $140 million worth of forestry investment has arrived in Northern Tasmania under a Federal Labor Government, Mr Pearce suddenly has a problem with Commonwealth support.

The only thing that has changed is his politics.

Mr Pearce says he supports plantation forestry, foreign investment, and Gresham House’s investment – yet he launched an inquiry into a lawful land sale.

You cannot champion Commonwealth-backed plantation forestry when the Liberals are in Canberra, then condemn it as a “distortion” when Labor is in government.

After 13 years of the Liberals, Tasmania needs jobs and investment - not political games that damage investor confidence.