Economy
Canberra backs forests peace deal. No compo
THE Gillard government has backed the pioneering Tasmanian forests peace pact, ensuring a blueprint to end most native forest logging can be drawn up.
The government has thrown its support behind an interim moratorium on the contentious logging of wild forests. But it stops well short of guaranteeing the costly buyout that some in the state’s timber industry want, instead opting for a detailed ”due diligence” assessment.
The federal government’s statement of support, released last night, has been keenly awaited by business, green groups and the Tasmanian government, which reached a principles peace pact almost two months ago.
They regarded Canberra’s backing as essential to ending 25 years of forest conflict in Tasmania and restructuring the failing industry.
The pact is also seen as a potential precedent for Victoria’s native forests.
The moratorium on logging in a list of so-called high-conservation-value forests was regarded in Tasmania as a vital first step, but Premier David Bartlett had refused to implement it without the federal government’s backing.
The federal statement endorses ”as a sign of good faith” the state’s offer to have some forests taken off the logging list while the next stages of the agreement are worked through.
”An initial moratorium will necessarily cover a small area, with additional areas being added over time as the final agreement progresses,” the statement said.
The two governments will appoint an independent facilitator to implement the initial stages of the peace deal, with a deadline of June 30 next year.
However, the federal government made no offer of financial support, and Mr Bartlett has ruled out state aid to buy the industry out of native forest logging. The federal statement pointed to $22.4 million in assistance recently given to forest contractors, as well as $325 million already given by Canberra to the state in forest packages.
”The Gillard government’s current role in the process will be to help facilitate negotiations, as opposed to providing new financial resources,” it said.
The state’s dominant timber industry player, Gunns Limited, warned recently that without compensation the principles agreement would fall over.
”We would all be back to looking to maintain harvest levels at their traditional levels,” managing director Greg L’Estrange said. ”That is always a possibility in this process.”
Shareholders, employees and contractors would need to be compensated for licences, businesses and even infrastructure such as forest roads, he said.
The federal government’s due-diligence assessment is to look at the forest resource, its future sustainable size, agreement on full protection of high-conservation-value forests and a social and economic impact assessment.
Full Andrew Darby, Age story, HERE
Sue Neales, Mercury:
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The State Government and forest industry had hoped the Federal Government would find as much as $800 million to ease the pain of the restructuring for the Tasmanian timber industry.
But as a trade-off for refusing financial handouts for workers and forest businesses, the Federal Government also has cracked down on expected benefits for environmental organisations under the negotiated peace plan.
Conservationists had claimed 600,000 hectares of Tasmanian forests in locations such as the Styx, Upper Florentine, Weld and Tarkine would be protected as soon as the Federal Government backed the pact, starting the “clock ticking” on the moratorium.
But Cabinet yesterday put new conditions on the logging moratorium, pending further agreements and negotiations.
It endorsed an “initial moratorium” only if it was not permanent, covered a “small area”, was for a set short term, did not cost the industry jobs or business and was limited initially to 29 forest coupes already announced as locked up by Forestry Tasmania in October.
The Federal Government says its role in furthering the Statement of Principles document is to facilitate the next round of negotiations, helping drive an “effective and lasting outcome”.
Premier David Bartlett last night welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment to progress the forestry Statement of Principles but said he had not yet received full details of federal Cabinet’s proposal.
“The response recognises that this is going to be a sometimes difficult process and that a great deal of negotiation is yet to come,” he said.
• What the ENGOs say
Environment Tasmania, The Wilderness Society, Australian Conservation Foundation
Media Release 7 December 2010
ENGOs WELCOME FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ACTION TO PROTECT TASMANIAN FORESTS AND REBUILD FOREST INDUSTRY
Environment groups today welcomed the Federal Government’s engagement and support to implement the Tasmanian “Forests Statement of Principles” and called on Tasmanian Premier Bartlett to start the moratorium on logging high conservation value forests.
Prime Minister Gillard announced a range of measures to support the Statement of Principles, starting with a logging moratorium, the appointment of an independent facilitator to oversee implementation and an assessment of the future options for the Tasmanian timber industry, consistent with the Principles Agreement.
“This is an important demonstration of leadership by the Gillard Government and we are encouraged by the government’s initial support,” said Lindsay Hesketh of the Australian Conservation Foundation.
“It is now critical for the Tasmanian Government to immediately start implementing the agreed logging moratorium. This must start now to ensure agreed timelines are met for a complete logging moratorium of identified high conservation value forests.” said Vica Bayley, spokesperson for The Wilderness Society.
“The moratorium is urgently required to ensure the protection of high conservation value forest across Tasmania, including areas under immediate threat of logging.”
“The implementation of the moratorium will relieve pressure and allow time and space for substantive investigations and discussions to occur about a new sustainable timber industry in Tasmania” concluded Phil Pullinger, Director of Environment Tasmania.
Environment groups look forward to working with the Gillard Government’s appointed facilitator to implement the principles.
Tuesday 7th December 2010
Forestry Tasmania Still Pursuing Upper Florentine Forest Defenders
Despite dropping all charges from the Mother’s Day 2009 protest, Forestry Tasmania is still pursuing charges of trespass of two individuals who participated in a rally in the Upper Florentine in January 2009, where an estimated 400 people were present.
“It is not clear why Forestry Tasmania is going ahead with these particular charges, and dismissing others, it makes no sense at all,” said spokesperson Andrew Nicholson.
“This goes against the spirit of the Forest Principles that Forestry Tasmania say they are supporters of.”
The case is being heard next at 10am on 7th Feb, and hearing dates are set for 15th and 16th of March.
FEDERAL ENDORSEMENT FOR LOGGING MORATORIUM WELCOME STEP FORWARD
Now Focus Upon Governance Structure and Implementation Plan
Nick McKim MP
Greens Leader
The Tasmanian Greens today welcomed the commitment made by the Gillard government to work constructively with the State, environment groups, industry and the community in implementing the historic Tasmanian Forestry Principles Agreement.
Greens Leader Nick McKim MP said that federal endorsement for a moratorium on the logging of high conservation value forests while an implementation plan is developed is also significant, and reiterated that this moratorium needs to be in place quickly.
“The Federal government’s announcement that they will come on board to work with the State government to implement the Forestry Principles is a welcome step forward,” Mr McKim said.
“Clearly there are still further details to be worked through but this is the first formal acknowledgment by the Gillard government that they have a role to play to secure this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presented by the Forestry Principles Agreement.”
“It is also very encouraging that there will be movement on the moratorium on logging of high conservation value forests, as required by the Principles Agreement, as this now needs to be a clear priority. The planning work to get this moratorium in place will involve the eNGOS in that process.”
“While this process is underway we need to avoid falling into the trap of creating an artificial split between jobs and conservation goals. The mix of the Forest Agreement’s signatories make it clear that these are closely entwined, as the markets’ move away from high conservation value forests-sourced timber demonstrates.”
Mr McKim reiterated that the Greens do not support the Gunns’ pulp mill proposal, and while the Principles flag that a restructured industry may include some form of pulp mill, it is unlikely that the community will ever approve of the Tamar Valley as an appropriate location for any new pulp mill proposal.”
Gunns closes Alexandra timber mill
Gunns Limited has confirmed it will close its timber mill in north-east Victoria.
About 40 employees at the company’s plant at Alexandra, north-east of Melbourne have been told they will lose their jobs.
Gunns is blaming the closure on a large increase in the cost of sawlogs and the high Australian dollar.
Mill worker, George Anderson, has worked at the plant for 17 years and was due to retire in 18 months away.
“About three months ago they said a decision was going to be made in December, we were all hoping it would get to Christmas but wasn’t to be,” he said.
“I don’t know where we go from here at my age. I’m a diabetic. It’s going to be a bit difficult to get work.”
The president of the Alexandra traders and tourism association, Andrew Embling, says the closure is a devastating blow for the close-knit community.
“Many of them have worked at the mill for a lot of years. They’ve gone away now without a job,” he said.
“For the families, it’s just devastating. A lot of those families have got a long history at that mill.”
Earlier on TT: Bartlett’s World of Forestry Fantasy