We’d like to sincerely congratulate Steve Bracks for his decision in late May to send 8,000 cattle out of the Alpine National Park. The mostly well-heeled farmers who like to portray themselves as “Mountain cattlemen”, predictably complained loudly despite still being able to graze 10,000 cattle in public land around the edges and getting $100 …
In March 2005, I traveled down to Melbourne to meet with John Thwaites advisor on forests. He seemed impressed by the economic arguments I presented but when it came to ecological issues – he wasn’t so interested. The very distinct impression given was that there’s only one species they worry about, and that’s the marginal …
It’s the kind of destruction we’re used to hearing about in the rainforests of South-east Asia, not in our own backyard. The Auditor General’s investigation into the Yalmy Road illegal logging during the 2003 fires, was released in early May. It criticises the Bracks government for allowing three laws and 17 prescriptions and guidelines to …
Less than one week after the government says it can’t and won’t prosecute anyone over the Yalmy looting, a DSE media release came out saying they will get tough with firewood getters who don’t pay their $7 permit (royalty per tonne). The maximum penalty is one year in jail or $5,000 fine with equipment seized …
Environment East Gippsland will challenge the government in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal over their refusal to release under FOI, names in the documents relating to the looting of the Snowy National Park during the fires of February 2003. Over the past two years we have: endured months of being mucked around by the …
The Tasmanian woodchipping company, Gunns, could be eyeing off Victoria’s forests. The controversial logging giant could be considering buying Victoria’s native forests as either a direct bidder or by buying from other bidders, under the Bracks Government’s new auction system. The Gunns logging empire has already spread to Western Australia. Planned pulpmill hungry for woodchipsIf …
The East Gippsland RFA had its eighth anniversary on the 3rd February. We were told all that time ago that it was to protect the forests, but conservation promises have never been honoured while woodchipping volumes have more than doubled. The five yearly review has not happened. It is now totally obsolete and should be …
A Supreme Court judge has ruled that the Bracks government’s environmental code for logging native forests (Code of Forest Practices) is enforceable under law. Prior to this ruling, DSE argued that the only lawful requirements were that the coupe be in a logging zone and that the loggers have a licence to log. The ruling …
The Tasmanian Government will declare Gunn’s planned $1.2 billion pulpmill (one step along the production line from woodchips) as a Project of State Significance. This will allow it to be fast tracked and bypass many environmental and other planning regulations. It recently released proposed amendments to planning laws to ensure a smooth approvals process for …
The Bracks Government has spent more than $74,000 fighting a Freedom of Information request for Department of Sustainability and Environment video tapes of the March 2002 raid on Goolengook. This is despite giving edited clips to television for broadcast. DSE says it is protecting the identity of its staff from intimidation by conservationists! The Victorian …
