Uproar over forestry plan

Press, 30 August 1986, Page 8

Uproar over forestry plan

PA Wellington The Government came under sustained and noisy criticism over its plans to corporatise commercial forestry as the Labour Party conference broke into uproar last evening. Ministers had to listen quietly to official after official from the Workers’ Union take the conference floor to criticise plans to set up a Forestry Corporation and revamp other areas of environmental administration. Workers’ Union members fear for their jobs. After hurried consultation between Ministers on the top table on the auditorium stage, the Prime

Minister, Mr Lange, addressed the workers. ' ■ He urged them not to fight the process of change as they ultimately ran the risk of losing;the security that the Government could give. But he also pledgedthe Government would.undertake impact studies to identify the social effects of corporatisation.. < “We have to identify what the social cost is and then we have to take it out on our Budget, not on your backs. ri “We pledge to protect your interests in that process. We invite you now to come with us through the process of reorganisation.”