Thousands oppose forest agreement

Thousands oppose forest agreement

By Tony Iltis

HOBART — Between one and two thousand people rallied outside parliament on September 18 to oppose the imminent, and long-delayed, signing of Tasmania's regional forest agreement (RFA). The rally was organised by the Wilderness Society.

Greens Senator Bob Brown told the rally that if John Howard and Premier Tony Rundle signed the agreement, they would be endangering not just to the animals and to future generations but also the economic well-being and jobs of Tasmania.

He called for value-adding to plantation timber, pointing out that in the last four years Tasmania had exported 1.3 million tonnes of whole logs for woodchipping which would end up "on the rubbish dumps of the northern hemisphere".

Brown also said that the RFA would mean tens of millions of dollars of public money being spent on woodchipping infrastructure, such as roads. He castigated the "weak-kneed politicians of the big parties", and pointed out that woodchipping corporations such as Ampol, Boral and North had donated $700,000 to the Liberal and Labor parties in one year alone.

Brown reminded the rally that Howard was currently in the Cook Islands, where he was giving the thumbs down to Pacific Island nations whose future existence was being threatened by global warming.

"The clear-fell logging and firebombing of Tasmania's forests is a major greenhouse gas producer", he said.

The rally was also addressed by Amanda Sully from the Wilderness Society and state Green MP Christine Milne.

From GLW issue 291