The parrot or the job – Macdonald’s misinformation muddle - 22 May 2009

“The NSW Primary Industries Minister has continued its counter intelligence campaign against the Federal Department of Environment by today ‘leaking’ the supposed lifting of a ‘ban’ on logging of River Red Gum Forests,” says Greens MP Ian Cohen

“There was no stop work order so there was no ‘ban’ to lift. Contrary to the Minister’s statement that the Federal Environment Department had issued a stop work order threatening 1000 timber jobs, the Federal Department had simply ‘reminded’ Minister that he needed to refer the operations for assessment if logging was to continue.“

“Minister Macdonald clearly needed this ‘friendly reminder’ as in 2007 he believed that logging of River Red Gums in the Ramsar-listed wetlands was undertaken with approvals and with every department agreeing with logging practices.”

“Minister Wong stated in Federal Parliament last week that the Federal Environment Department had been in discussions with Forests NSW since July 2008, requesting the matter to be referred under federal environmental laws. Clearly, Forests NSW showed the same negotiating style as their Minister, and refused to refer it. This led Federal Department to finally taking action in the form of the letter, yet Minister Macdonald feigned outrage and surprise at the ‘request’.

“Minister Macdonald’s track record on the River Red Gums is an embarrassment to the Federal and State Labor Party. NSW has had a system of environmental planning laws in place for 30 years and the Minister appears to forget its most basic premise that actions such as logging require environmental assessment.”

“To refute this concept is to take us back to the 1950’s. Instead of trying to correct the errors of his ways, the Minister has sent the media on a merry go round of misinformation.”

“A report by the BIS Shrapnel Forestry Group for Forests NSW estimated a total of 314-340 jobs in the Red Gum logging industry across both freehold and public land. Approximately half of the timber industry is based on private land, and half on public land (State Forests), therefore only 160 jobs in total are dependent on State Forest.

“Federal Minister Wong and Garrett clearly stated that cessation of logging was only required within the area of the Ramsar site. How the Minister came to the infamous ‘1000 jobs or the parrot’ equation is beyond belief and government reports.”

“Across the river, Victoria has taken responsible steps to preserving its River Red Gums in nature reserves. The gums function as filters and ‘green lungs’, crucial to the healthy functioning of the Murray River system, which we all know is under severe stress. The trees’ and the Murray’s demise will even see more jobs gone.