lordolean

I couldn’t let this little unsubstantiated comment go without some facts again. You stated 'Farmers are the most protected and heavily subsidised species on the planet' Please see below the level of income support provided by Governments

Percentage of farm income provided by Government assistance
Australia 5%
USA 18%
EEC 38%
Japan 57%
Rep of Korea 60%
Source: OECD

As you can see Australian farmers are not heavily subsidised. They in fact have the second lowest protection rates in the World only beaten by NZ. And I think if you compare them to the car industry and other manufacturing industries such as CFT industries they would be substantially less. With regards to having to wait until the tree are harvest to work out how well Gunns have gone i beleive this not to be the case. According to Rob Hanson (a forester) in the Fin Review stated that yields good be accurately measured as young as five-seven years.

Lastly don’t underestimate the length the forestry lobby group will go to maintain these schemes. I would be surprised if they do disappear. These guys play hard ball, from personal experience, very hard ball against anyone who questions them.

Ah Horse

I think we may have found some common ground and I sense that we could actually come to like each other. Imagine that.

I agree with you that Australian farmers are less subsidised than international farmers (although still subsidised to some extent) and that car and CTF industries in Australia are more subsidised. But my statement was on a global scale and I still believe it remains true in that sense. Your table would seem to support that view.

As for yields you are right after 5 years you can get an idea. As I said the Gunns plantations that are thinning are around 7-8 years of age and are achieving yields above forecast. I was just stating that we have to wait for some more evidence to see that these early results can continue.

I think you will have much much less trouble with MIS forestry in the future simply due to the reduced flow of funds to the area. You have gotten your wish. My view for what it is worth is that we shouldnt stamp out the schemes altogether, they should be revamped and more realistic numbers disclosed, because we wont have a local timber industry if plantations dont continue in some form.

Good luck mate. I will make this my last post here.