John Brumby bowed to pressure from big agribusiness bully, Monsanto, in late November and overturned bans on GM food crops in Victoria. He did not consult caucus. New South Wales also lifted its bans on the same day. Brumby refused to release Victorian Chief Scientist Sir Gustav Nossal’s report on the impact of lifting the …
Remarkably, Australia’s native forests store more carbon pollution than any other forests on Earth. If we protect them, we can immediately reduce emissions and store the pollution from nine coal-fired power stations every year.There now is a once in a generation opportunity to protect our native forests–a crucial lifeline for our climate.Here is a short …
Mallacoota’s proposed breakwater/boat ramp has been in dispute for several years. The East Gippsland Shire has been the proponent for this very contentious monstrosity. The Bastion Point Inquiry was suddenly adjourned by the Shire, claiming it was landed with new information by the DSE. DSE hasn’t been terribly happy about the whole show right from …
On top of the $1 billion of subsidies the Tasmanian logging industry has already received over the past twenty years, Gunns was promised another $100 million by the ALP a week before the election. As Crikey reported, the industry could be running a T-Model Ford factory and still make a fortune from taxpayers money. Martin …
It’s not just those on the green side of the fence who are outraged about plans to whack in massive firebreaks through forests across the landscape. Even many fire experts are a little upset by the lack of thought and evidence that they will be effective. In many cases they could just be providing wind …
Last issue we reported that the Victorian Government had changed the rules to allow deadly 1080 poison to be sold from farmers’ stores around the state. The purchaser just had to show they’d done a half-day handler’s course and they could then buy a truck load. There’s to be very little monitoring of where and …
Between 1990 and 2004, emissions from the Australian energy sector grew by 38%. Other developed nations that are parties to Kyoto had a rise of only 5%. Emissions across all sectors will have risen 16% between the time John Howard first took over in 1996 and 2010 (the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol). …
The Brumby Government is planning to amend Freedom Of Information (FOI) laws to make it easier to get information from government agencies. The Bill will be decided on in the New Year but doesn’t have to be effective until July 2009. It has it’s good and bad sides. Good:the removal of FOI application fee of …
Premier John Brumby recently rejected draft recommendations by the Victorian Environment Assessment Council (VEAC) to flood the Murray with billions of litres of water to save the majestic River Red Gums. According to a leaked copy of the most comprehensive analysis of Murray River Red Gums undertaken, 54% of the forest is in a “deteriorating …
Black Forest Timbers, the large mill out at Woodend, announced its final closure in the middle of the Federal election campaign in October. This timing made many people suspicious. As one friend put it – “They have been the Zen masters of attracting millions of dollars in public money and never showing anything for it.” …
