AUSTRALIA: Fed: Government and Greens claim victory over forest motion
Copyright 2001 AAP NEWSFEED
August 9, 2001
CANBERRA, Aug 9 AAP - The government and Greens Senator Bob Brown today claimed victory in a curious row over an ambiguous Senate motion which bars logging of old growth forests where there is a plantation alternative.
Only Labor voted no to Senator Brown's motion and it remains unclear whether the government simply blundered in supporting it.
An elated Senator Brown gave a thumbs up to Environment Minister Robert Hill who subsequently rose to clarify the government's policy on forests.
"We support the harvesting of native forests that are not within that conservation reserve, provided that harvesting is on an ecologically sustainable basis," he said.
Senator Brown said Labor was isolating itself on the forests issue and it could affect the Greens' decision when deciding on preferences for the federal election, due later this year.
He said the government had used common sense.
"The Labor Party and Mr Beazley are more chainsaw driven when it comes to our native forest industries, even when there are good alternatives, than the Howard government," he said.
This was a stunning endorsement for Mr Howard who has been routinely pelted with woodchips by anti-logging protesters during visits to the NSW south coast and Victoria.
Senator Brown's motion reads: That the Senate considers that wherever there is an existing plantation alternative, old-growth forests and high conservation forests should not be logged.
Labor Senator Kerry O'Brien said this purported trade-off between plantation and old growth forests was not appropriate.
"We are amazed that the government would support it," he said.
"I congratulate Senator Brown. He has achieved something of a coup."
Forestry Minister Wilson Tuckey said there was no change in government policy.
"The government remains totally committed to the ongoing sustainable harvest of native forests in partnership with the development of the plantation sector," he said.
Special Minister of State Senator Eric Abetz said Senator Brown's stunt had actually backfired.
He said it really meant Senator Brown was supporting logging of old growth and high conservation forests where there was no plantation alternative.
"As plantation alternatives are not in existence especially for the sawmilling industry then Senator Brown by implication supports our sensible and sustainable approach to forestry," he said in a statement.