The bid for forest peace

Enviro groups
Environment Tasmania (Tasmania’s Conservation Council), the Australian Conservation Foundation and The Wilderness Society today supported calls for an independently mediated dialogue to resolve the long-running conflict over the management of Tasmania’s forests.
MEDIA RELEASE- 4th NOVEMBER 2008

ENVIRONMENT GROUPS SUPPORT TASMANIAN FOREST SOLUTION PROPOSAL

Government involvement in mediated dialogue the key to resolving the issue

Environment Tasmania (Tasmania’s Conservation Council), the Australian Conservation Foundation and The Wilderness Society today supported calls for an independently mediated dialogue to resolve the long-running conflict over the management of Tasmania’s forests.

The organisations backed calls for a moratorium on logging and road-building in contentious forest areas as a way to halt forest protests and congratulated the local environment groups that initiated the call for talks. The organisations strongly urged the state and federal governments to come to the table to discuss a positive solution to the state’s forest debate.

“After decades of divisive debate this unique opportunity to rationally discuss a solution to the Tasmanian forest conflict with all stakeholders, including the ultimate decision-makers, our elected governments, should not be passed up,” said Phill Pullinger, Director of Environment Tasmania.

Vica Bayley, spokesperson for The Wilderness Society, said the initial response from the Tasmanian Government was disappointing. “The knee-jerk reaction by Minister Llewellyn to dismiss the proposal as a stunt represents an old-school attack on a new initiative for a solution. Premier Bartlett should step in to take the lead and agree to talk.”

Lindsay Hesketh, forest campaigner with the Australian Conservation Foundation, pointed to real examples where stakeholder discussions between conservation, industry and government have delivered win-win solutions to long-running forest conflicts.

“In Queensland and Western Australia governments led discussions that resolved native forest logging issues once and for all,” he said. “A solution is possible if decision-makers come to the table and discuss what Tasmania’s solution could be.”

Revelations that Tasmanian forest contractors are lobbying government for assistance to exit the industry[1] further reinforce calls for a complete review of the industry and a mediated dialogue with all stakeholders. This should take into account environmental and social concerns, market realities and emerging science not available when current logging arrangements were set in place in the Regional Forest Agreement. Recent forest policy has created a native-forest logging industry which is totally unviable on many grounds.

“Conflict in the forests is a symptom of successive governments failing to heed community concerns,” said Mr Pullinger. “Today’s new governments are being offered an opportunity to discuss those concerns and work on a solution that could help send Tasmania in a more environmentally, economically and socially responsible direction.”

ET, TWS and ACF believe effective dialogue requires:

1) A mediator who is independent and jointly agreed to by all parties;

2) Representatives of the Premier and the Prime Minister, and the involvement of conservation groups. Industry stakeholders should be encouraged to participate, but government participation is essential.

[1] http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24598700-2702,00.html

Environment Tasmania Inc.
Tasmania’s Conservation Council

Donate online to the first legal challenge to the Tasmanian Government’s assessment of Gunns’ pulp mill at:
www.et.org.au
T (03) 6224 6319
A PO Box 1073 Hobart TAS 7001