Greenhouse Howard – Think Globally, Act Locally on forests

The Prime Minister’s announcement of a plan to save the world’s forests smacks of hypocrisy while Australian forests, including those in NSW, continue to be felled at an unacceptable rate, said Greens MP and forestry spokesperson Ian Cohen.

“Oldgrowth forests and rainforests are still being logged right across Australia. In north-east NSW rainforests are being logged and threatened species habitats are being hammered. If the Prime Minister wants to save the forests, he should put pressure on state governments to protect forests here in Australia.

“Any suggestion that logging is being done in a sustainable manner is laughable. In NSW the government forest agency has signed contracts for volumes it can’t supply from public forests and has now joined the ranks of those ravaging private native forests, which are not subject to regulation, in order to meet its contractual obligations.

“If the Prime Minister is serious about forest protection he can ensure the review of the Regional Forest Agreements, scheduled for 2005 and still not started, and provide funds for those majestic forests still standing to be protected.

“A good example is the imminent and unnecessary destruction of 300,000 river red gums from the Murray river region to supply Victoria with railway sleepers. There are more sustainable alternatives. The Prime Minister can save forests in our own backyard by insisting that Steve Bracks not sign the contracts for this appalling destruction of majestic red gum forests.

“The Government is providing millions for tree planting while logging companies are awarded millions in public handouts. Intensive logging is doing irreparable damage to our water catchments and diminishing stream flows by significant amounts. It is releasing huge amounts of stored carbon into the atmosphere, making our forests more flammable and reducing the survival chances of many of our unique plants and animals.

“The PM needs to stop grandstanding on the international stage in an attempt to distract from his complete lack of action on climate change and take immediate action to keeping the remaining large Australian trees in the ground.” Mr Cohen said.