BY BEA BREAR
HOBART — "No more woodchips!" was the chant arising from 700 protesters outside an international "environment" conference here last week.
The Forest Certification Conference, organised by the Forest Industries Association of Tasmania (FIAT) and the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), involved forestry companies, unions, scientists and government officials from around the world. Tape recorders and cameras were banned, and local environmental groups were excluded from the list of invitees. These moves prompted activists to claim that the conference was called to rubber-stamp destructive environmental policy under the guise of being green.
Tasmanian Greens' representative Peg Putt said on the rally platform that the conference was being used by the industry to invent its own "certification" system because no environment groups would give a green light for the extensive logging and woodchipping of old-growth forests. She pointed to the dangers of industry self-regulation with no accountability to environmental organisations or the wider community.
The conference coincided with an advertising campaign claiming that "woodchipping is good for you" and with claims by Forestry Tasmania that forestry operations in the state are sustainable. However, the size and passion of the protest demonstrated that public sentiment has not been swayed in favour of woodchipping.
Speakers from local campaigns focused on the impact of increased forestry on local communities, health issues associated with plantation forests, and the massive environmental damage being done to areas containing untouched old-growth forests.
Australian Greens Senator Bob Brown described Australia as having "the most despicable forest policy of any nation on the face of the planet". He was referring to the regional forest agreement, which was described by Putt as "a blank cheque for woodchipping".
Also under fire from the crowd and speakers was federal minister for forestry and conservation Wilson Tuckey who had claimed in a radio interview earlier that day that logging in national parks is sustainable. Putt claimed that it is that standard of "sustainability" which the conference was supporting.
On October 31, the Senate passed a motion put by Brown which condemned Tuckey's comments and the federal government's policy of allowing logging in national parks.