NSW Labor Riverina Red Gums deal fails on jobs and environment - 26 March 2010

NSW Greens MP Ian Cohen has today visited the Millewa forest with Yorta Yorta Traditional Owners and environment groups. He visited the forest that will be opened up to five years of intensive logging under the NSW Government’s River Red Gum back-flip.

“I was invited to come down here today to inspect the Millewa forest with the Yorta Yorta elders and environment groups,” says Mr Cohen.

“The Yorta Yorta Traditional Owners want to work with the NSW Government to manage a world class National Park, that fully protects the Millewa forest, to explore and develop all the socio-economic opportunities that will provide for both the broader community and the state of NSW,” said Mr Neville Atkinson, chairperson of the Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation.

“Yorta Yorta will bring all their expertise and networks to contribute, and be looking to innovative partnerships with the private sector” he said.

“In my meeting with Yorta Yorta, I’m firmly convinced the Government should involve the high level of social capital obviously evident in this organisation,” says Mr Cohen.

“From the meeting today, I can see the opportunities that will be lost if the Government doesn’t rethink the situation to allow logging in Millewa and communicate with the Yorta Yorta. The Traditional Owners have explained to me today that more logging in Millewa is a bad outcome for the River Country and also a bad outcome for their people.”

“Earlier this morning I heard about the brand new jobs that Yorta Yorta nation have provided to five young rangers who will work in the Barmah National Park, just across the river, in Victoria.

“These are rewarding jobs that keeps them close to their culture and country, and this is just the beginning. I have heard about many other business and employment opportunities the Yorta Yorta are exploring.

“The NSW Government is turning its back on similar Indigenous job opportunities in NSW with its short-sighted decision to let logging continue. It is also destroying the values that make this place sacred to Traditional Owners.

“After more than 200 years of damage and destruction, Yorta Yorta say it is time right now to start the long path to recovery of the Murray River and its floodplain, not in five years time or ten years time. I will be taking their views back to the Parliament” Mr Cohen said.


Further information: Ian Cohen: 0409 989 466 or Neville Atkinson 0419 502 272