Federated Farmers Forestry Spokesperson Toby Williams is urging the Government to act quickly on the recommendations made in the Ministerial Inquiry into Land Use report.

"The Government needs to take the recommendations in this report very seriously and move quickly to make changes that will protect our community," Mr Williams says.

"If they don’t, we are just going to see a repeat of the total devastation caused by Cyclone Gabrielle repeated every few years. That’s just not an outcome this community will be willing to accept."

The recommendations made for Tairawhiti are clear, compelling, and provide a bespoke solution for our region, Mr Williams says. "We have a very short window to make changes, so now isn’t the time to sit on our hands.

"The concerns that have been raised about the forestry sector are the same concerns that Federated Farmers have been highlighting for the last few years.

"It’s been absolutely devastating to see farm after farm of productive land converted into a blanket landscape of forestry, knowing what that will mean for our community.

"The Government now needs to show some courage and stand up to the forestry industry. We need to see change".

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