The sound of chainsaws will be heard in native forests around New South Wales after the Government’s decision to abandon a code that would regulate logging on private land, said Ian Cohen, NSW Greens Upper House MP.
“Today in parliament I asked Ian Macdonald, Minister for Primary Industries to explain this woeful capitulation to the logging industry by reopening consultation on the Private Native Forestry Draft code,” Mr Cohen said.
“Minister Macdonald could not provide any guarantee that no rainforest, old growth or wilderness in NSW will be logged between now and June 2007.
“Minister Macdonald has powers under the Native Vegetation Act to give interim protection to these areas until a code of practice is in place.
“Panic logging of these areas is set to take off in the wake of Minister Macdonald’s pre-election pandering to this destructive industry.
“Proper regulation of logging on private land is now 10 years overdue. Delaying the implementation of the code until June next year will see thousands of hectares of native forest, including rainforest and old growth, open to logging without any rules.
“Farmers have to go through negotiations with public authorities to clear native vegetation, but loggers on private land will continue be exempt from native vegetation laws, thanks to Minister Macdonald’s inaction.
The Greens will move in Parliament to disallow the regulation that the government will need to gazette in order to extend the exemption from Native Vegetation laws,” he said.
Further Information: Claire O’Rourke 0409 810 139 or 9230 3305
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