Economy
Olive branch offered on Ta Ann markets campaign. Olive twig, says FT
Environment groups have offered to suspend their markets campaign in Japan for one month while forest peace talks proceed, on the condition that logging ceases in the 572,000 ha of verified high conservation value forests[1] whilst negotiations about protecting them take place.
“It’s a moratorium for a moratorium,” said Peg Putt of Markets for Change.
“Logging the forests that are the subject of discussions about their protection cannot be justified. Wood should be sourced from the remaining million hectares of native forest outside of the area subject to reserve claims, whilst an agreement is hammered out around reserve creation and forest industry restructure.
“We began our campaign with Japanese customers of Ta Ann because the promised moratorium on logging was not implemented and Ta Ann’s wood supply was officially identified as the key driver of logging within this area.”
“If logging ceases inside the verified 572 000ha, we will give the talks an opportunity to reach an agreement to protect Tasmania’s globally significant forests,” said Jenny Weber of the Huon Valley Environment Centre.
“The West report provides overwhelming evidence for protection of these forests. The damage that has been done from years of over-cutting the forests means that the conservation of the threatened intact forests is at the edge of a cliff. It is a critical time for these forests to be protected for world heritage, national heritage, carbon storage and species protection values,” Ms Weber continued.
Miranda Gibson of Still Wild Still Threatened, who has now spent 110 days perched in her tree sit 60 metres up the ObserverTree, has also been coordinating messages to Japan. Her tree top eyrie is located in one of the logging coupes under imminent threat inside the verified high conservation value forests.
“I will support the conditional moratorium on the markets campaign in Japan. Meanwhile, however, I will remain in the Observer Tree to bear witness and await a final outcome. I am keeping the Tasmanian devils and wedge-tailed eagles company whilst they wait for their homes to be secured. It is vital that during this period we continue with informative and educational campaigns,” Miranda Gibson said.
“We will advocate other vitally important things that must come out of an agreement, in particular that the improvements to the Forest Practices Code are fully applied, to ensure that areas outside the 572,000 hectares subject to continued logging when negotiations are resolved will be treated in an environmentally responsible manner, and not suffer the brunt of dramatically intensified logging.”
The groups all reject calls made by the forest industry (through FIAT) to constrain the right to freedom of speech, the right to association and the right to non-violent protest.
“We absolutely reject the call for draconian anti-protest laws, which would undermine the basic principles of our democracy. We intend to continue domestic campaigns to build awareness and public pressure on delivering protection for these magnificent threatened forests,” said Ula Majewski of The Last Stand.
“A long lasting outcome cannot be achieved by imposing curbs on democratic freedoms,” concluded Ms Majewski.
Jenny Weber (HVEC), Peg Putt (MFC), Miranda Gibson (SWST), Ula Majewski (TLS)
[1]The ‘Tasmanian Forest Agreement – Summary Report of Conservation Values’ prepared for the Independent Verification Group of the Tasmanian Forest Agreement states that “In general, the ENGO report’s claims regarding the conservation values of their proposed new forest reserves (ie the ENGO forest) are largely substantiated”, p7, referring to the 572,000 hectares of forest proposed by the ENGOs for reservation. However the entire area within those boundaries is now measured to be 563,383 hectares, according to the verification process. This is the area we are referring to in this offer.
[2]The ‘Tasmanian Forest Agreement – Summary Report of Conservation Values’ prepared for the Independent Verification Group of the Tasmanian Forest Agreement states that “In general, the ENGO report’s claims regarding the conservation values of their proposed new forest reserves (ie the ENGO forest) are largely substantiated”, p7, referring to the 572,000 hectares of forest proposed by the ENGOs for reservation. However the entire area within those boundaries is now measured to be 563,383 hectares, according to the verification process. This is the area we are referring to in this offer.
• CONSERVATION GROUPS’ GOODWILL GESTURE PUTS ONUS BACK ONTO INDUSTRY
Nick McKim MP
Greens Leader
The Tasmanian Greens today said that the move by some of the conservation groups outside the Forests Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) to halt their campaigns should be recognised as a significant goodwill gesture towards the continuing forest peace talks.
Greens Leader Nick McKim MP said that, given these groups are not Signatories to the IGA but are prepared to give the peace talks room to come to a negotiated outcome, this offer now puts the focus back onto some industry representatives to engage constructively.
“The signatories to the IGA need space and time to come to a negotiated agreement and we hope that this olive branch will help,” Mr McKim said.
“This offer now places the onus onto FIAT to come back to the table and give this process a genuine go.”
“The Greens believe the IGA, while not perfect, remains the only plan on the table to move Tasmania forward, to protect our unique high conservation value forests and to provide for a transition to a viable timber industry,” said Mr McKim.
First published: 2012-04-02 10:48 AM
• ABC Online: Managing Director Bob Gordon has described it as an “olive twig” rather than an “olive branch.”
…
Forestry Tasmania says the proposed compromise is encouraging but unworkable.
Managing Director Bob Gordon has described it as an “olive twig” rather than an “olive branch.”
“Forestry Tasmania has already been through an exhaustive process with the Australian and Tasmanian governments to re-schedule, as far as practicable, out of the 430,000 hectares claimed for interim protection.”
“This process led to the conservation agreement signed by both governments and Forestry Tasmania in January which enables Forestry Tasmania to access less than half of 1 per cent of the 430,000 hectares up until the end of June.
“The ask has now gone from 430,000 hectares to 568,000 hectares, and it is not an ask that we can meet.
“People now understand that it is a long, complicated and expensive process to complete Forest Practices Plans and to put in place the necessary infrastructure such as roading to enable coupes to be harvested.
“It is not possible to simply to change from one coupe to another on a whim. Even if we could, it would mean trashing the Forest Practices Code so cherished by these groups,” he said.
Mr Gordon says the state-owned company won’t be able to meet its wood supply contracts if a stay on logging takes effect in the 572,000 hectares.
“I think the Forest Industries Association of Tasmania has made its viewpoint pretty clear,” he said.
“These campaigns not just need to stop but they need to go there and apologise for the campaigns that have been run.”
The Economic Development Minister, David O’Byrne, says he wants to see more details about the environmentalists’ proposals before committing to any agreement.
“We’ve seen a press release, we need to see a more formal response from Markets For Change but we again make a plea to all groups. Sit around the table, work on a negotiated outcome that can take Tasmania forward.”
• ABC Radio is also reporting the loss of another 60 Ta Ann jobs, blaming protests by conservationists. But Ta Ann has always been a massive loss-maker as evidenced in this analysis by TT’s John Lawrence:
A dog: The financial truth about Ta Ann Tasmania. MLCs ‘premature’. World protests
which already had admitted to “miss-labelling” its export products:
Ta Ann blames ‘translation error’ for incorrect labelling. FT ‘standing in the way’
• Earlier on Tasmanian Times:
‘The garbage media component to what happens around here in Tasmania’
The Rogue Agency
Paul Harriss’s Altruistic Trips to Sarawak. Ta very much. Rolley takes Ta Ann reins. MRs
Paul Harriss MLC should resign. Questions which must be answered
MLC’s Ta Ann ‘gifts’: ‘This cuts right to the heart of probity.’ Borneo journo’s special reportTa Ann’s links to allegations of rights abuses, environmental destruction. Heat on FT
Read for yourself: Forestry Tasmania, FIAT’s MOU with TAC. The Sarawak connections …
Is this why Ta Ann Tasmania operates at a loss? Forestry’s new deal? No, says Giddings
Mr Harriss, Independent MLC, and Ta Ann
Ta Ann blames ‘translation error’ for incorrect labelling. FT ‘standing in the way’
A dog: The financial truth about Ta Ann Tasmania. MLCs ‘premature’. World protests
• Richard Colbeck:
SENATOR THE HON RICHARD COLBECK
Senator for Tasmania
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries and Forestry
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation, Industry and Science
M E D I A R E L E A S E
2 April 2012
Green groups’ peace offer not genuine
The conditional nature of today’s protest moratorium offer from Markets for Change shows again that certain environmental groups are not genuine about negotiating a compromise deal for Tasmania’s forests, Coalition Forestry Spokesman Richard Colbeck said.
“There is no basis for the campaign Markets for Change and others are currently waging against Tasmanian businesses in overseas markets,” Senator Colbeck said.
“The offer is yet another move designed to bring about the total destruction of Tasmania’s native forest industry.
“We know it is the ultimate intention of groups including Markets for Change, Still Wild Still Threatened and Last Stand to force the end of all native forestry.
“Today’s conditional offer demonstrates that the claims these groups make about the Intergovernmental Agreement being a peace process are completely fraudulent.
“This ‘offer’ is akin to telling your prey ‘if you cut off your own arm, we’ll stop shooting at you… but just for now.’
“These green groups will lay in wait for another round of forest lock-up to be formalised, and then the protests and eco-slander campaigns will start again.
“It is time for the Tasmanian Premier to get rid of the Greens from her Cabinet. Nick McKim and the Greens are using that status to bolster their claims in our markets and they are killing investment across Tasmania,” Senator Colbeck said.
SENATOR THE HON RICHARD COLBECK
Senator for Tasmania
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries and Forestry
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation, Industry and Science
M E D I A R E L E A S E
3 April, 2012
Pressure should be on Greens, not forest industry
The Greens and green groups must commit to compromise before they can expect industry stakeholders to return to the forestry negotiations.
“The question that needs an answer before any pressure is put on the forest industry to return to the table is: will the Greens and green groups respect any negotiated results?” Coalition Forestry Spokesman Richard Colbeck said.
“It is essential that the Greens and green groups give this commitment if any negotiations are to have meaning.
“Why should industry turn up to a negotiation for its own execution?
“The Greens political party, via both Senators Brown and Milne, have a stated objective to end all native forest harvesting in Australia – not just Tasmania.
“Markets for Change, the Huon Environment Centre and Last Stand share this goal.
“These stated objectives demonstrate that there is no genuine intent on behalf of the green movement. Their express intent is to destroy the industry.
“Green groups have not respected any of the previous forest negotiation processes. They come back each time wanting more and more of our sustainable resources locked up and they have no respect for any view but their own
“As indicated in Professor West’s report, this has happened ten (10) times before.
“It is highly unlikely that the Greens and green groups will recant on their stated objectives.
“Let’s not forget, on the first day of this latest negotiation process industry players were told by green group representatives: “If you don’t go along with what we want, we will do to you what we did to Gunns.”
“They are doing this anyway.
“Why aren’t Julie Gillard and Lara Giddings demanding that their coalition partners negotiate with genuine intent?
“This process continues to be shown as nothing but a sham. There is nothing that guarantees peace, just another round of industry-destroying lock ups,” Senator Colbeck said.
• Leon Compton’s Statewide Mornings …
http://blogs.abc.net.au/tasmania/2012/04/peace-offer-.html?site=hobart&program=hobart_mornings