In response to public outrage by yet another case of approving unlawful logging by DSE, Minister for the Environment, John Thwaites, has asked the EPA to look into several cases and report back to him. However, the EPA is only to look at where the failings are in the system and make recommendations. No doubt …
People might remember our expose — of the secret “East Gippsland Old Growth Project” in winter 2005. Well, the DSE have come out at last to sell it as a positive project. You might remember we reported its purpose was to try and convince the public or the DSE Minister (or both) that old growth …
The government has agreed to trial the sheep farmers’ ‘solution’ to wild dog attacks, which is to drop poison baits across the forested landscape from the air like hundreds and thousands. However, Environment Minister John Thwaites, is showing sensible caution and trialling dummy baits first to test the uptake by other species. Since banning cows …
It was a crazy plan to appease the cheap-lease farmers who have run their cattle over the Alpine National Park for over a century. Satellite-controlled electric shock collars were the only idea Federal Environment Senator Ian Campbell could offer to “protect the Alps” and keep the cattle’s owners happy. The three year, $15 million plan …
The Victorian Liberals have begun to unveil their forest policy. And so far so good. Smaller landowners in rural areas would be offered cash incentives to grow firewood and sawlog crops on their blocks. This would suit many small back-to-the-landers, reduce the impact of large scale plantations on communities and water catchments and lead to …
The forestry union’s National Assistant Secretary Michael O’Connor,(see article here) has been promoted to National Secretary. This happened in October 2005 just when the Industrial Relations laws started being thrashed out. Who’s Michael O’Connor? You might remember the loggers giving Howard a rousing applause down in Tasmania just days before the ’04 federal election. Well …
Howard secretly promised a $4 million gift to a forestry union group just three days before the last election. This explains why the loggers, with encouragement from the union, rejected an $800 million forest jobs package offered by Mark Latham, for the $70 million package offered by Howard. This and the jubilant response by loggers …
Howard secretly promised a $4 million gift to a forestry union group just three days before the last election. This explains why the loggers, with encouragement from the union, rejected an $800 million forest jobs package offered by Mark Latham, for the $70 million package offered by Howard. This and the jubilant response by loggers …
While the people of New Orleans were still being rescued ten days after cyclone Katrina, and thousands of bodies still remained to be identified, our own Mr Bracks made a very considered, significant and irresponsible decision. After a two year process negotiating with the private owners of Hazelwood, he has allowed the developed world’s dirtiest …
The largest paper mill in Australia is based in Gippsland and is planning to expand – with the government’s full blessing and financial assistance. It will need an additional 200,000 m3 of eucalypt pulpwood. But where will it come from? PaperlinX, maker of Reflex copy paper, was formally known as APM, Amcor and is now …
