Premier Minns is avoiding the critical decision urgently needed by NSW’s regional communities, koalas, Greater Gliders and everyone who expects to see climate action from our leaders. Bob Brown Foundation has accused the Minns government of delaying protection of koala habitat and wasting taxpayers money on consultations while logging continues.
“The only future for the NSW logging industry is one that protects native forests by ending logging them immediately,” said Doro Babeck, NSW Campaigner with Bob Brown Foundation.
Responding to the NSW Government’s announcement today that a panel will be established to plan the future of the forest industry in NSW, Doro Babeck said, “The government’s announcement is another way to continue logging our globally significant forests while they examine something that is crystal clear and has been done several times over. We can’t afford another delay. WA and Victoria are leading the way – NSW must follow.”
“We have enough plantations in Australia to fulfill all timber demands for housing, construction, transport and retail. What we need is an exit from logging our native forests,” said Doro Babeck.
“There are multiple reports by think tanks such as the Australia Institute or Blueprint Institute that examine the loss-making native forest logging industry. They all call for an end of this practice to benefit communities economically, environmentally and socially. We don’t need to re-examine this case, we need to listen to the experts and end native forest logging now,” Doro Babeck said.
“The state run Forestry Corporation NSW has accrued tens of millions of dollars in fines and legal fees over regulation breaches in the past financial year alone. It hasn’t managed to run a plus on its balance sheet for the last 20 years. We call for the abolishment of this rogue government arm, which acts with impunity in our forests, destroys habitat and makes our forests more flammable, risking even greater forest fires into the future. There is no future for Forestry Corporation and they can not be trusted with looking after our forests,” said Doro Babeck.
The panel is examining the future of softwood and hardwood plantations and the continuation of private native forestry in helping meet timber supply needs.
“The majority of koalas, some 65%, live on private land. We can’t allow private forests to be plundered without oversight. The NSW government must establish a robust system that protects endangered species wherever they live, including on private land. The extinction crisis will not be solved if we swap one extinction logging operation with another. The private native forest logging industry can’t be based on self assessment.”
