How do I silence thee – let me count the ways

The public relations elite are brainstorming ways to keep what they call the “crazy little old ladies” and “gays who do naughty things to whales” quiet. Industry and government representatives have paid $600 each to learn the tricks of the trade from Canadian PR consultant, Ross Irvine, the self-styled Svengali of anti-activist activism. Irvine graced …

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More cases of illegal logging – Time for Bracks to clearfell DSE

We have to wonder if we are in Indonesia or Australia sometimes. The latest incidents of government foresters approving illegal logging is in the Red Gum Forests at Barmah on the Murray River and in the Central Highlands. Thompson catchmentWorld Water Week began on 20th of August – the same day that conservationists from the …

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From cross cut saws to computers

It started off with cross cut saws and bullocks, then to chainsaws and bulldozers, now the future is in computerised harvesting machines in plantations. Three-way solution The logging union has recently been outraged about the need to import skilled workers to fill the new jobs in the plantation industry. They have also been outraged about …

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Orange-bellied Parrot

Federal Environment Minister, Ian Campbell, has promised $3.2 million to help save the Orange-bellied Parrot. The endangered parrot gained attention when it was used as a tool to stop the controversial windfarm in Liberal member, Russell Broadbent’s seat.

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Where does Craig Ingram stand on logging forests??

Our Gippsland East Independent pollie, Craig Ingram, has the image of a champion for our rivers. You’d think this concern for the water would spill over to include our rivers’ catchments, but not so. His attitudes to logging forests were spelled out very clearly in the Herald Sun and on the ABC in early September.Here’s …

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Federal threatened species Act ineffective

The Federal Environment Protection Biodiversity and Conservation Act is a waste of money, according to researchers at the Australia Institute. The Act is designed to protect threatened species and world heritage areas that may not be covered by state environment laws. The Institute’s deputy director, Andrew Macintosh, says only four out of 1,900 developments have …

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Snowy sell-off scuttled

If you ever thought you can’t make a difference to an arrogant government, the halted sale of Snowy Hydro should make you think again. The Greens legal advice showing that the sale was illegal really upset the PM’s applecart. This was the main motivator that saw a turn-around, although the press gallery were not wanting …

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BASSLINK … Engineers’ wet dream turns to a nightmare

A giant underwater electrical umbilical chord now joins Tasmania and Victoria. As of late April, we can now buy Tasmania’s ‘clean Hydro power’, or if their wood fired electricity generators get going, power from their incinerated old growth forests. They can also buy our cheap, off-peak, dirty coal power and save their own to sell …

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A small win for Red Gums

The Victorian Government plans to use gauge convertible concrete sleepers in the upgrade of the Mildura rail line. This was a solution green groups were putting to our government years ago to save thousands of old Red Gums from being cut down for replacement sleepers on railway lines. The East Gippsland upgrade used thousands upon …

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First prize – for landclearing

Victoria has the worst land clearing record in the country. In 1869 we had 88% of the state covered in forests. In 1972 it had shrunk to just 36% of the state. That’s about 60% of the forest cover being wiped off the land in about 100 years. In the 34 years since 1972, more …

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