BY GRANT COLEMAN
PERTH — Fifty people attended a public meeting here on November 19 to discuss the continuing destruction of Western Australia's old growth forests. With a state election to take place in February or March next year, the Wilderness Society used the meeting to launch a "Vote for the Forests" campaign.
The Greens (WA), the Democrats and the Liberals for Forests have all promised they will immediately halt all logging of old-growth forests. The Labor Party has promised to place areas of high conservation value into reserves and to "phase out" logging by 2003.
Roberto Jorquera, the Democratic Socialist candidate for the seat of Perth in the upcoming state election, told Green Left Weekly the environment movement should not rely on either major party to bring about a sustainable and proper restructuring of the timber industry.
"The ALP", Jorquera said, "has promised to immediately place areas of high conservation value in reserves and to 'rigorously assess' the remaining areas. But under Labor's plan logging will continue until 2003, there is no mention as too how much the timber companies will be able to log up to then. It is highly likely they will increase the rate of logging."
Jorquera argued that the forests' conservation movement "should be arguing for an immediate and unconditional end to all logging of old growth forests". He added: "$38.5 million of public funds are being used to compensate timber companies continued use of old growth logs. That money should be used to compensate sacked workers and the rest put into a publicly owned plantation based timber industry. There is already enough timber in plantations to immediately replace all old growth logs now. A switch to plantations would also provide more jobs."
Surveys conducted last year showed that more than 70% of West Australians support an end to old-growth logging. Public opposition to old-growth logging was also displayed by the 7000-strong protest in September 1999 and another large protest early this year. Jorquera maintains that it is this sort of pressure that will end old growth logging, not lobbying or voting in a state Labor government.
"Public sentiment is in favour of ending old growth logging", he said. "It is this sentiment and not the election of a Labor government that will save the forests. However, this sentiment must be given a voice. A people's movement that is based on mobilisations is the only way bring about a sustainable and immediate end to the logging of this states pristine forests."