The Greens Gippsland East Candidate, Jill Redwood has said today’s forest policy announcement by the ALP is business as usual dressed in drag.
“It’s nothing to be overjoyed about. Announcing a meeting process, that won’t meet until after the election is very underwhelming. We’d much prefer to hear a firm date as to when the inevitable transition into plantations will occur”, said Jill Redwood. “A firm industry plan with exit packages is what is needed. The Greens and the majority of the public have been opposed to the destruction of public forests through industrial scale logging for decades.”
“There’s nothing new in this announcement at all. We don’t need another committee; we don’t need another VicForests look‐alike commercial logging monopoly; we don’t need a government entity that is constantly in conflict with itself – profit vs environment.”
“What we urgently need is a different culture within the government and its forester dominated environment department. It took four years to see the Labor government’s 2006 promises acted upon and even that was 70% spin.
“The Greens are pleased to see the government commit to carrying out threatened species surveys before they plan to clearfell native forests, but this was forced on them by the recent Supreme Court case. It remains to be seen if this will happen in all forests and across all seasons. Proper and credible assessments would require this”, said Ms Redwood.
Samantha Dunn, Greens candidate for Eastern Victoria said it’s virtually business as usual."We will still see our forests logged while these talks go on, loosing precious carbon stores and biodiversity, this announcement today fails to meet expectations that logging of our high conservation forests will cease.”
“The Greens in parliament will keep working until old growth forests, high conservation value forests and town water catchments are given protection, and then work to shift the dwindling native forest logging industry into the security of the plantation sector.
For comment: Jill Redwood 5154 1045 / Samantha Dunn 0429 292 904 or samantha.dunn@vic.greens.org.au
Showing posts with label east gippsland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label east gippsland. Show all posts
Friday, November 12, 2010
Wood or Water Wellington Shire? Greens
The Wellington Shire’s recent majority decision to support the continued logging of Melbourne’s water catchment in the Central Highlands shows a lack of understanding of the connection between logging and water.
Jill Redwood, long time forest campaigner and now Greens candidate for the seat of Gippsland East said she was astounded at the lack of thought by councillors on such an important issue.
“If the logging continues, it will dry out entire catchments of up to 50% of their normal stream flow for at least the next 80 years. This phenomena is acknowledged by Melbourne Water and many scientists. It will make the water shortage even more critical for not only Melbourne but many Gippsland towns as well. Our local town’s water supplies come from the very forests which Wellington councillors want to see clearfelled.
“Would Wellington Shire oppose moves by Melbourne to take water from Gippsland’s storages and rivers?
“Those Councilors seemed to believed that the Gunns‐owned Heyfield Mill was only dependant on more and more access to public forests for its future survival”, said JR. “In fact Gunns has already declared it will be closing down its native forest logging operations on the mainland in the near future.
“The sawn timber market is also on a steep downhill run with over 80% of all building materials now being supplied by plantation wood. This trend is continuing despite large public financial assistance that native forest logging still enjoys. So any amount of council support will be confetti in the wind. “The Greens would be looking to help transition the industry into a conflict‐free plantations future as soon as possible. Those in the industry should be allowed to exit with dignity, be retrained or assisted to move their skills to the substantial plantations in western Victoria. Those companies are screaming out for workers and are in fact importing workers from overseas to fill the jobs.”
Further information: Samantha Dunn 0429 29 29 04 or samantha.dunn@vic.greens.org.au
Jill Redwood, long time forest campaigner and now Greens candidate for the seat of Gippsland East said she was astounded at the lack of thought by councillors on such an important issue.
“If the logging continues, it will dry out entire catchments of up to 50% of their normal stream flow for at least the next 80 years. This phenomena is acknowledged by Melbourne Water and many scientists. It will make the water shortage even more critical for not only Melbourne but many Gippsland towns as well. Our local town’s water supplies come from the very forests which Wellington councillors want to see clearfelled.
“Would Wellington Shire oppose moves by Melbourne to take water from Gippsland’s storages and rivers?
“Those Councilors seemed to believed that the Gunns‐owned Heyfield Mill was only dependant on more and more access to public forests for its future survival”, said JR. “In fact Gunns has already declared it will be closing down its native forest logging operations on the mainland in the near future.
“The sawn timber market is also on a steep downhill run with over 80% of all building materials now being supplied by plantation wood. This trend is continuing despite large public financial assistance that native forest logging still enjoys. So any amount of council support will be confetti in the wind. “The Greens would be looking to help transition the industry into a conflict‐free plantations future as soon as possible. Those in the industry should be allowed to exit with dignity, be retrained or assisted to move their skills to the substantial plantations in western Victoria. Those companies are screaming out for workers and are in fact importing workers from overseas to fill the jobs.”
Further information: Samantha Dunn 0429 29 29 04 or samantha.dunn@vic.greens.org.au
Monday, November 8, 2010
Mallacoota and Snowy River betrayed: Greens
Greens candidate for Gippsland East, Jill Redwood, said that the Greens is the only party which has onsistently and actively supported the return of flows to the Snowy River. It is also the sole voice in Parliament that has spoken out for the low impact community plan to upgrade and protect Bastion Point.
“Sadly, the saga of the Snowy River highlights the Labor government’s contempt for the far flung voters of this electorate. This government has dishonored its own promises and its own law. We have seen a major betrayal on the Snowy,” said Jill Redwood. “The river is as parched as when our politicians promised to rescue it 10 years ago.”
“Last year we should have seen 15% of its natural flows returned and next year 21%. Just recently our political representatives celebrated a piddling 6% as a great achievement. It’s too grim to even laugh about”, said Ms Redwood. “Do irrigators across the range and the Snowy Hydro Corporation have more weight in the 'balancing act’ than East Gippsland or adhering to written laws?”
“The other 10 year battle has been for Mallacoota’s beautiful Bastion Point. Despite the majority of locals wanting a more sensitive and cost effective plan to upgrade the boat ramp, the $6.5 million industrial scale earthworks is supported by Mr Ingram and the Labor party. Although part of the Wilderness Coast, they want a breakwall, large scale clearing, roading and ongoing dredging.”
“The industrial upgrade would destroy a stunningly beautiful coastline”, said Ms Redwood. “Even the Supreme Court Judge commented during the legal challenge that the plan was overkill.”
"Minister Madden and Mr Ingram are both ignoring the advice of the Government’s independent expert panel. It tendered a 200 page report recommending that the proposal be abandoned due to the high risk of boats exiting and entering broadside to the waves, and the break-wall would inhibit visibility."
“The community’s low impact, engineer-endorsed plan is less than one-fifth the cost of the current plan. The Greens in Parliament supported this as it improves ocean access, upgrades the boat ramp, provides safety for all and maintains the beauty of Bastion Point."
“We need political representatives who are for the local community.”
For comment: Jill Redwood 5154 0145
Further information: Samantha Dunn 0429 29 29 04 or samantha.dunn@vic.greens.org.au
“Sadly, the saga of the Snowy River highlights the Labor government’s contempt for the far flung voters of this electorate. This government has dishonored its own promises and its own law. We have seen a major betrayal on the Snowy,” said Jill Redwood. “The river is as parched as when our politicians promised to rescue it 10 years ago.”
“Last year we should have seen 15% of its natural flows returned and next year 21%. Just recently our political representatives celebrated a piddling 6% as a great achievement. It’s too grim to even laugh about”, said Ms Redwood. “Do irrigators across the range and the Snowy Hydro Corporation have more weight in the 'balancing act’ than East Gippsland or adhering to written laws?”
“The other 10 year battle has been for Mallacoota’s beautiful Bastion Point. Despite the majority of locals wanting a more sensitive and cost effective plan to upgrade the boat ramp, the $6.5 million industrial scale earthworks is supported by Mr Ingram and the Labor party. Although part of the Wilderness Coast, they want a breakwall, large scale clearing, roading and ongoing dredging.”
“The industrial upgrade would destroy a stunningly beautiful coastline”, said Ms Redwood. “Even the Supreme Court Judge commented during the legal challenge that the plan was overkill.”
"Minister Madden and Mr Ingram are both ignoring the advice of the Government’s independent expert panel. It tendered a 200 page report recommending that the proposal be abandoned due to the high risk of boats exiting and entering broadside to the waves, and the break-wall would inhibit visibility."
“The community’s low impact, engineer-endorsed plan is less than one-fifth the cost of the current plan. The Greens in Parliament supported this as it improves ocean access, upgrades the boat ramp, provides safety for all and maintains the beauty of Bastion Point."
“We need political representatives who are for the local community.”
For comment: Jill Redwood 5154 0145
Further information: Samantha Dunn 0429 29 29 04 or samantha.dunn@vic.greens.org.au
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