Queensland Stalling on Forest Agreement
9/8/99
*******************************
RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
Title: QUEENSLAND Stalling on Forest Agreement
Source: Environment News Service
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: September 8, 1999
CANBERRA, Australia, September 8, 1999 (EN ) - The Federal Minister
for Forestry and Conservation, Wilson Tuckey, has expressed grave
concerns about the lack of progress towards an agreed, final South
East Queensland Regional Forest Agreement.
"The inordinate delay in responding by the Queensland Government
since the joint release by the two governments on May 14 of the SE
Queensland Directions Report is regrettable and unacceptable," Tuckey
said.
Tuckey said he is worried by comments attributed to Premier Peter
Beattie on ABC radio that he will announce a State government scheme
to provide $5,000 to Queenslanders who lose their jobs due to the
Regional Forest Agreement (RFA). The federal government is in the
process of creating RFAs with all six Australian states. They set
aside some forested lands for conservation and others as working
forests.
Beattie is reported as saying that these funds could be used for
training and job placement for displaced workers, particularly from
small towns where a single business may be the main employer.
"If this is some kind of pre-emptive strike to cover up big job
losses in timber towns then the Premier will not have my support,"
said Tuckey. "The momentum that was established earlier this year for
the SE Queensland RFA has clearly stalled. This unnecessary halt on
the RFA is failing to keep faith with timber communities and
environmental and industry stakeholders who expect our two
governments' to finalise the RFA."
Tuckey expressed the federal government's willingness to examine
policy proposals of the Queensland government. "Our fundamental view
is that a SE Queensland RFA must provide for a continued, viable
native timber industry," Tuckey said.
Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 1999