A new TV advert on the crucial role that native forests can play in climate change is now on the air in Tasmania and the mainland.
The ad, produced by Our Common Ground, Environment Tasmania, TWS and GetUp, can be seen here: Our Native Forests and Climate Change.
In the lead up to the nationwide Walk Against Warming this weekend, the ad talks about the huge climate pollution benefits of ending native forest logging.
The ad highlights how our native forests could store more pollution than nine of the country’s dirtiest coal fired power stations produce each year – or up to 136 million tonnes of carbon every year.
The message to the political parties? Protecting our carbon-dense native forests is the quickest and cheapest way to reduce Australia’s impact on our climate. Certainly far, far cheaper than the $400 per tonne of CO2 reduced from the Prime Minister’s ‘cash for clunkers’ program.
Once you’ve seen the ad, visit the GetUp petition and add your voice to save our forests and our climate and spread the word.
What the Wilderness Society says …
Meanwhile Eric Abetz said …
1000s of Jobs to be Lost in ‘Latham Like’ Labor/Green Deal
Wednesday, 11 August 2010 10:27
“Revelations that Labor and the Greens have done a deal to deny access to native forest resources in Tasmania will cost thousands of jobs and devastate our rural and regional communities,” Senator Eric Abetz said today.
A former Forestry Minister, Senator Abetz said, “Mr Bartlett and Ms Gillard together with all their Federal candidates have to come clean.”
“Labor has done a deal with the Greens. They wouldn’t be preferencing Labor for nothing.”
“I am now regularly receiving disturbing reports that Ms Gillard and Federal Labor have dusted off Mark Latham’s job destroying forest policy from 2004,” Senator Abetz said.
“But unlike Mark Latham Ms Gillard is keeping the plan secret.”
“Mr Bartlett and State Labor are up to their necks in this.”
“We know Labor will make solemn promises and junk them after the election. Mr Bartlett has form. He lied to the Tasmanian people before the election about doing deals with the Greens. He and Ms Gillard are at it again.”
“Tasmania’s forestry workers are entitled to know what Labor will do as a result of their preference deal.”
“Labor’s candidates have been strangely silent yet again as they were during the 2004 election.”
“Will Labor commit to no more lock ups?”
“Have Labor done a deal with the Greens on forestry?”
“If so, what is it?”
“How many jobs will be lost?”
“What will be the impact on country saw millers?”
“How much more wood will Australia need to import and where from?”
“How much compensation is anticipated?”
“What will be the impact on the cost of housing?”
“Labor and the Greens need to answer these questions,” Senator Abetz said.
And what The National Association of Forest Industries told Eric Abetz …
Media Release 12 August 2010
Politicians should keep clear of forest industry talks
As negotiations continue for a possible new forest agreement for Tasmania, the National Association
of Forest Industries (NAFI) and Timber Communities Australia (TCA) today reconfirmed that no
political party has been involved in the talks, nor are the talks being influenced by any political
process or agenda.
Senator Eric Abetz has been a long term friend of the forest industry. However his recent comments
in relation to potential secret deals between Labor and the Greens in relation to the forest industry in
Tasmania cannot be linked to the recent discussions between industry representatives and
conservation groups on the future of the Tasmanian forest industry.
TCA Chief Executive Officer, Jim Adams said “the talks are far from secret, the fact that they are
going on is well known and there has been wide stakeholder consultation conducted by parties on
both sides”.
NAFI Chief Executive Officer, Allan Hansard said “as we’ve said since these talks began, at no stage
have these negotiations involved representatives from governments.”
“If and when an agreement is reached, the agreement will be brought to government through the
appropriate channels at the appropriate time,” said Mr Hansard.
And,
Michael Tavares
Spokesperson
C.O.D.E (Citizens Opposed to the Destruction of the Environment)
Activists Hang Massive Banner off Batman Bridge
14th August 2010
Activists from the Launceston based direct-action protest group C.O.D.E (Community Opposing the Destruction of the Environment) have sent a clear and powerful message to State and Federal politicians this morning by hanging a huge 12 metre by 20 metre banner from the Batman bridge that reads “No Tamar Valley Pulp Mill”.
“The Tamar Valley is quite simply the wrong site for any kind of pulp mill, and we will continue to protest until State and Federal Governments withdraw all support for this mill” said CODE Spokesperson Michael Tavares.
“The fast-tracked approval process for the Tamar Valley pulp mill was fundamentally flawed and completely inadequate in its review of the impacts on the environment, human health and sustainable local businesses.” Mr Tavares said.
“There is no social licence to build this mill. Thousands have marched on the streets in opposition to it, scores of ordinary Tasmanians have been prepared to be arrested for speaking out against the corrupt approval of it, yet Gunns Ltd continues to hold on to the dream of building it’s unwanted mill.” said Michael.
“There are many opportunities for down stream processing of plantation timber in Tasmania, but a Tamar Valley pulp mill is not part of that mix.” he added.
“Gunns must announce it intends to abandon this mill, and the undemocratic Pulp Mill Assessment Act 2005, which takes away people’s rights, needs to be torn up.”
The event went peaceful and orderly and there no arrests.
