Helen Clark U turn on forestry, no surprise

Helen Clark's deceitful turn-around on the West Coast Accord revealed by Coast Action Network (CAN) today comes as no surprise, says Forestry Minister Hon David Carter.

"Helen Clark can't be trusted. In 1990 she tried to win the West Coast vote by saying the West Coast Accord would be honoured, now she is trying to weasel her way out of it."

"It's no wonder the people of the West Coast are irate. First Helen Clark goes public to support the ridiculous claims of conspiracy theorist Nicky Hager, who is trying to shut down sustainable forestry on the Coast, now she blatantly does a U turn on a very public promise."

"Helen's media release from June 1990 states that Labour will honour the West Coast Accord and will "keep faith with existing agreements". This can only be seen now be seen as a gigantic scam."

"Helen has consistently betrayed the West Coast and has underestimated the support for sustainable forestry."

"Her backing of Nicky Hager this week is another example of how out of touch she is. Mr Hager's claims about Timberlands and sustainable forestry in the book would be laughable, if it wasn't for the fact that many hundreds of jobs on the West Coast rely on sustainable forestry."