Public meeting on jobs and the environment
By Angela Jordan
ADELAIDE - The Native Forest Alliance (NFA) organised a successful public meeting of 60 community activists on April 21 to discuss the campaign against the woodchipping of old-growth forests.
The NFA was formed earlier this year to protest against the Keating government's decision to renew woodchip licences for 1995. NFA organised a rally of 6000 as part of the national campaign to protect 1300 forest coupes of high conservation value.
On the heel of the federal cabinet decision to protect only 267 coupes, NFA decided to host a public meeting with the theme of "political alternatives and community action".
The meeting was chaired by Cherie Hoyle from Urban Ecology. Speakers included Carla Gorton from the Democratic Socialist Party, who spoke on behalf of the NFA, Mike Elliot from the Australian Democrats, Davey Thomason, an organiser with the CFMEU, and Cathy Gaygo from HEMP.
After discussion, those attending decided to participate in the May Day march and rally as an NFA contingent, to target timber company Bunnings with direct action prior to World Environment Day and to support a tent city action outside the ALP offices in Adelaide organised by anti-fees student campaigners.