ABC ONLINE
The Greens Senator Christine Milne says there has been a rush to log a disputed area of the Upper Florentine Valley in southern Tasmania because there is a review of the Regional Forest Agreement. Senator Milne says a Senate committee last week handed down a recommendation that the independent review of the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act look at bringing forest agreements into line. Senator Milne says it is recognition at the Federal level that the agreements have failed.
MORATORIUM ON LOGGING HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE FORESTS
As Demand Low, EPBC Review Looming
Nick McKim MP
Greens Leader
Thursday, 7 May 2009
www.tas.greens.org.au
The Tasmanian Greens today demanded that the state government respond to low demand for woodchips and sawlogs by imposing an immediate moratorium on logging and roading in Tasmania’s high conservation value forests, especially given that RFAs will now be part of an Independent review of the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity and Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
Greens Leader Nick McKim MP said that with global demand for woodchips remaining low, and sawlogs currently being used for woodchips and peeler logs, there is no excuse for the government to continue its divisive strategy of targeting high conservation value forests for destruction.
“A moratorium would take the heat out of the forest debate, and reduce some of the divisions in our community,” Mr McKim said.
“The real reason that Forestry Tasmania is continuing to target high conservation value forests is to destroy the values that one day could lead to the protection of those areas. That is nothing less than institutionalised vandalism.”
“There are thousands of tonnes of sawlogs racked up at landings in Tasmania’s southern forests due to a drop in demand, which puts the lie to government spin that the industry is sawlog driven.”
“With global demand for woodchips low, and a looming Federal review of RFAs, there is no excuse for Premier Bartlett to continue to allow the logging of Tasmania’s magnificent high conservation value forests.”
Text of the recommendation by the Senate Environment, Communications and the Arts Committee inquiring into the Operation of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, final report, 30 April 2009:
The committee notes that the Minister for Environment has formally asked the Independent Review of the EPBC Act to consider the findings and recommendations of this inquiry (see letter 13 March 2009). Accordingly the committee recommends that the Independent Review consider the findings in this report and recommend proposals for reform that would ensure that RFAs, in respect of matters within the scope of Part 3 of the EPBC Act, deliver environmental protection outcomes, appeal rights, and enforcement mechanisms no weaker than if the EPBC Act directly applied.
