The newest kid on the parliamentary-hopefuls-block is a band of chest beating, ultra-rural, greenie-bashing blokes – shooters, loggers, 4WDers, and associated ilk (and their women supporters). Also colloquially known a rednecks. Their stated purpose is to do in the Greens. They are trying to strike fear into regional voters that the Greens holding the balance …
The latest bundle of propaganda to come from VicForests, in mid August, announced the new Sustainable Forest Management System Project for Forest Certification. Don’t all those big words sound impressive? Sadly, its just another expensive publicity fraud. Haven’t the Government propagandists and spin-doctors realised yet that the word Sustainable is way past its use by …
Anzon, a new oil company on the scene, has had record-fast approval for the development of an oil field near Marlo. The Basker, Manter and Gummy fields were discovered between 1983-90 but are only being tapped into now. With the price of oil around $70 at last count, new wells should be extremely lucrative. Instead …
Australia is rapidly losing the capacity to carry out world-class wildlife research because of a dramatic decline in funding and loss of jobs for highly qualified scientists. Australian National University ecologist Professor David Lindenmayer said government funding cuts and retrenchments had forced Australian wildlife research “into meltdown”. He said despite alarming and continuing loss of …
To help with expansion plans of the Paperlinx (Australian Paper) mill in the Latrobe Valley, the Bracks government has committed $50 million towards a $150 million water recycling plant. The Morwell plant will recycle domestic and industrial water using basic treatment to take the smell out of the water before it is released. The stink …
Researchers in Victoria have uncovered crucial links between the eucalypt disease Mundulla Yellows which is spreading from the west, and carbon dioxide in the air. The phenomenon, named after the tiny South Australian town where it was first found, has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of trees across the country. Dr Rosa Crnov …
New research into feral cats reveals the predators can be a fat and healthy lot, gorging on everything from fairy penguins to McDonald’s. The study of stomach contents in Tasmania has found the pests can consume massive amounts. Cats store fat on internal organs and breed out of season. Zoology honours student, Kylie Cahill, has …
There’s good news on the 1080 controversy. A more humane alternative to the poison is being trialled by the Australasian Invasive Animals Co-operative Research Centre. The new poison, called PAPP (para aminopropiophenone), renders animals unconscious within 30 minutes and dead within two hours. If animals must be poisoned, at least they won’t suffer for hours. …
What we see going on with Tasmanian woodchips could well set the scene for the rest of us battling to save our forests. When a 10% drop in orders for Tasmanian woodchips was announced, green groups were blamed. The reduction and subsequent job losses are squarely the result of green groups telling lies to overseas …
DSE logging plans from July 2004 to June 2005 show 4,700 ha to be clearfelled in East Gippsland. Much of this is old growth or mature forest. This will supply 149,000 m3 of sawlogs and 385,000 m3 of chip logs. Consider that a saw log averages 30% recovery (at least 60% is chipped as round …
