Macdonald concocts his own ‘scientific’ assessment against River Red Gum report - 24 February 2010

Minister for Forestry Resources, Ian Macdonald, today refuted the findings of the Natural Resources Commission (NRC), which reported that Forests NSW, under his stewardship, had logged red gums in the Riverina region 70% beyond sustainable levels. The NRC report was commissioned by former Premier Nathan Rees to ascertain the true state of the red gum forests.

Mr Macdonald was responding to a question in Parliament by Greens MLC Ian Cohen: on what basis does the Minister argue that logging forests 70% beyond sustainable levels equates with world’s best practice?

“In 2007 the Minister described Forests NSW management of Riverina Red Gums to the House as achieving the ‘highest international environmental order’,” said Ian Cohen.

“I asked the Minister whether he stood by the assertion that Forests NSW has engaged in environmental management of the “highest international environmental order” in light of the Natural Resources Commission’s findings. Mr Macdonald was dogged in his response.

“Rather than concede that he has overseen years of unsustainable and illegal logging in an already stressed wetlands system, Mr Macdonald chose to shoot the messenger. He strongly disagreed with the Natural Resources Commission’s assessment that logging took place at 70% beyond what is sustainable.

“This is not the first time that Minister Macdonald has ignored the findings of the NRC if they don’t agree with him. When Snowy Hydro sought to extend the Snowy Mountains Cloud Seeding trial, Mr Macdonald dismissed the NRC’s findings that there was ‘no evidence to support claims of increased snowfall caused by cloud seeding’. Mr Macdonald was so keen to see an increase in the tourism industry in the Snowy he didn’t want to be weighed down by the evidence of science.”

“Mr Macdonald continues his role of environmental marauder, deaf to the entreaties of qualified scientific reason of the highest order.”