Mr Carr Announces Corrupt "RFA" Woodchip Agreement for SE Native
Forests of NSW; Broken Election Promises
8/26/99
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Title: Mr Carr Announces Corrupt "RFA" Woodchip Agreement for SE
Native Forests of NSW; Broken Election Promises
Source: Friends of the Earth, Sydney, news release
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: August 26, 1999
Byline: Tom McLoughlin
Tom McLoughlin, NSW Forest Campaigner, said today:
"After consultation with local forest campaigners it is clear this
`regional forest agreement' announced by Mr Carr today is a corrupt
document:
? although "a huge national park of 134,000 hectares" [per Mr Carr ABC
2BL Radio News 7.55 am 26th August 1999) is protected, an even
bigger 180,000 hectares is guarranteed for clearfell woodchipping by
foreign multinational Daishowa over 20 years. This includes creek
side filter strips;
? 60% of koala habitat is approved for woodchipping;
? Mr Carr has broken his 1995 election promises to save the forests
and end export woodchipping by the year 2000. Daishowa at Eden pulps
90% of logs which logically must include sawlogs;
? there has been no open scientific peer review of the forest
assessments;
? the group in the region chosen by the ALP to represent green
interests - the South East Forest Conservation Council (SEFCC) - was
illegally constituted during the assessments. (Only recently has an
AGM been forced with consequent spill of membership.) SEFCC joined
with Daishowa woodchipping company at Eden in 1998 in applying for
grant money under the federal Natural Heritage Trust to clear native
vegetation on private land for plantations. The matter is now being
investigated by the Federal Auditor General as a misuse of
environmental funds.
? Old growth forest earmarked for logging include the western side of
Coolangubra Wilderness including "stop work" areas in 1992 under the
State Coalition like compartment "1402" with 400 year old brown
barrel eucalypts" concluded Mr McLoughlin.
More: Tom McLoughlin tel. 0410 558838 or 02-9517 3900