*Pic: a clearfell by Matt Newton, http://www.matthewnewton.com.au/
Save the Tarkine and Bob Brown Foundation are outraged that Australia’s Forest Products Association (AFPA) has held out another begging bowl to the Federal Government to log and burn native forests in Tasmania.
“AFPA’s opportunistic requests for another $10 million for the already massively subsidised logging industry can only be described as the height of bad manners. They’re talking with their snouts full”, said Save the Tarkine Campaigner Scott Jordan.
“After receiving subsidies for native forest logging, subsidies for plantation development, subsidies for research and subsidies for discredited carbon farming projects, they now want more taxpayer money, while at the same time removal of the minimal protections for water. These subsidies have all come at an enormous cost, not only to the taxpayer but to the environment of North West Tasmania,” Scott Jordan said.
“Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten need to reject AFPA’s demands or they will be responsible for enormous environmental destruction and pushing wildlife to extinction. We call on Mr Turnbull and Mr Shorten, and all Braddon candidates, to reject the outrageous proposal for forest furnaces. Forest furnaces are a disaster for climate change, wildlife and forests,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Jenny Weber said.
“AFPA has released what they call ‘building blocks to growth’ but they are more like ‘blocks to growth’. North West Tasmania will not benefit economically or environmentally by continuing to destroy the natural environment, lock in logging of its unique forests and rainforests, with all of this propped up by government subisidies.
“Protecting native forests and rainforests like those in takayna / Tarkine will unlock huge benefits for the Braddon electorate, including greater employment, security for the leatherwood honey sector, underpinning the Tarkine Coast brand, and protecting vital assets for North West Tasmania including its clean air, soil, water, and wildlife,” Jenny Weber said
“All candidates, whether party or independent, should reject this shameless banditry on the taxpayer,” Scott Jordan said.
john hayward
July 17, 2018 at 22:22
Tasmanian logging seems to tick all the boxes to qualify as a racket .. but for one.
The bottomless support of the LibLabs makes it technically legal in the absence of a Bill of Rights which imposes some sort of fiduciary duty on governments to serve the public interest.
John Hayward
Robin Charles Halton
July 18, 2018 at 03:30
I can see lots of fake news here as the Greens think that they can ramp up any decent reasons for a broader Tarkine National Park, whereas within the region is already foot-printed with a number of broader protected areas for conservation purposes.
A win of the Braddon seat for the Liberals will further substantiate the status quo.
I am strongly suggesting within the broader context of the Greens in Tasmania, as well as at Federal level, we will see a move away from Greens’ party policies as PM Turnbull locks in the Liberals policy on electricity pricing and reliability by confirming coal fired units will be around for at least the next 20 years, leaving the Greens’ preferred option of Renewables not making the grade at present into the NEM.
There is no doubt, with a more confident Liberal Coalition partnership on the horizon, this will also give rise to both forestry and mining activity in the region, leaving the fairy tale legend of the Bob Brown sister hood hardly clinging on at all in macho Braddon.
john hayward
July 18, 2018 at 13:37
Robin at #2 seems to share the conservative conviction that the climate is just another penurious supplicant to a Liberal Government, clamouring for attention among really serious issues, like wood-chopping, gambling, and fish farms.
John Hayward
Wining Pom
July 18, 2018 at 14:10
#2 {i}’PM Turnbull locks in the Liberals policy on electricity pricing'[/i]
I thought they had already done that by removing the Carbon Tax. Prices have doubled since then, so what’s on the cards now?
Mjf
July 18, 2018 at 15:20
#2 … macho Braddon ?
Someone sprang Lambie. A natural fit.
Teresa Maddox
July 18, 2018 at 17:12
In his usual contrary manner, #2 is content to have the deforestation industry continue to free-load off the public purse without any reasoned argument for such stupidity!
It is much easier to live in his own fairy tale world of denial than to acknowledge the benefit to the whole of this State that a Tarkine National Park would have, as opposed to the handful of greedy benefactors that presently enjoy our precious native forest resource!
He has the same legendary illogical mindset that our current political rulers subscribe to of looking after their brotherhood of mates at the expense of what’s actually beneficial for all!
I cannot understand the logic of throwing more money at this loss-making industry, or that it makes any sense!
max
July 18, 2018 at 20:01
With forestry it is hard to understand the mindset of stupidity. The LibLabs have had this mindset for years, ever since the start of clear felling.
We have lost more than 85% of our regent forests to this stupidity. Before clear felling, forestry was profitable, and we had sustainable forestry with selective logging, but the avarice wood chip industry changed all that, backed by by the LibLabs.
The state’s logging industry is, in the end, not now a commercially viable industry at all, but a massive parasite on the public purse. Why stalwarts like R.C.H and the LibLabs can not comprehend this defies all logic.
Gordon Bradbury
July 18, 2018 at 21:27
Do people know that the last Tas State budget has already committed another $17 million of taxpayers’ money to the forestry industry, with another $30 million on the table for the Hermal Group, if they choose to take it, for their new Hampshire mill?
And we don’t know yet how much will be given to STT to keep it afloat for another 12 months. Maybe another $20 million. Does anyone care?
The forest industry begging bowl should really be called Grand Theft Larceny!
Tasmanian taxpayers are such easy targets to rob!
Ted Mead
July 19, 2018 at 02:33
#2 … More stone-age deliberations from troglodyte, Robin. You don’t even understand your Liberal party rhetoric!
Malcolm Turnbull’s declaration of coal being an energy driver for the next 20 years was just a statement to pander to the conservatives and the fossil fuel industry while knowing very well that very few coal-fired power stations will close in the next two decades.
After that there will be a huge collapse through obsolescence, and by 2035-40 Australian coal will be providing less than a third of the current power generation.
By then the Monash forum and you will most likely be pushing up daisies!
The renewable revolution has begun, and the market forces are driving it.
There are no new coal power plants on the drawing board.
Even Malcolm knows this!
Robin Charles Halton
July 21, 2018 at 12:12
#9 … Ted, read my comments at #1 again. I clearly said that coal fired power stations will be around for the next 20 years, and that is the PM’s message to the nation. That is reasonable insurance against Australians unnecessarily paying higher prices while ensuring reliability!
It’s not a perfect solution, but a necessary one to stabilise the peace of mind for the nation as we still have to battle with too many privateers both in the wholesale and retail market playing the customers with all sorts of poorly constructed deals that are often hard to decipher, and meaningless as far as saving go!
I am hoping that the Heemskerk wind farm is a step in the right direction for little Tasmania. Politically it looks good.
I do not agree that Tasmania will be the battery for the nation. How could it be? Absolute bullshit, with an ageing cable link to the mainland and with our lakes levels always subject to coping with drought conditions. There still has to be balancing types of electricity generation.
The fight still goes on about how future generation methods will cope without engaging massive increases in pricing. In my opinion there has to be either a new or revamped coal fired power station or two to cope with future demand! You will see this happen in our lifetime!