Forestry group to study options

Press, 25 August 1988, Page 7

Forestry group to study options

PA Wellington The Government has set up a working group to advise on the sale of the Crown’s commercial forestry assets, said the Minister for State-Owned Enterprises, Mr Prebble. The group has been asked to examine alternatives to selling Government land, such as leasing the forests. It would investigate options for the sale of forestry assets and

issues involved with those options, including the role of the Forestry Corporation. “The Government has been forced by fiscal circumstances to sell businesses to pay debt, but it will not sell at any price,” Mr Prebble said. The working group would recommend the optimal sales process for the Crown’s forestry holdings. “As announced in the

budget, the Government is aware of concerns about the sale of Government land,” he said. “We have asked the working group to examine alternatives to that, specifically investigation of the leasing of rights to manage and cut forests.” ' The working group consists of Mr John Chetwin, of the Treasury, as chairman; Mr John Valentine,

Ministry of Forestry; Mr Brian Gaynor, Prime Minister’s Department consultant; Mr Tim Saunders, Treasury consultant; Mr Paul Baines, Jarden Morgan; Mr Keith Chandler, forestry consultant. The group would consult the forestry Corporation, the forestry industry and other interested parties. It was expected to report by mid-October, Mr Prebble said. .