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Liberals To Relieve Firewood Shortage In Country Vic

The weather is getting colder and country Victorians are beginning their annual struggle to source firewood to heat their homes, Shadow Minister for Country Victoria Philip Davis said today.

By Phillip Davis - 24th April 2006 - Back to News

The Department of Sustainability and Environment has warned country Victorians about the illegality of collecting firewood from State Forests without a fortnightly permit. Firewood collection is also prohibited from roadsides and National Parks.

Despite the desperate need for firewood throughout many areas of country Victoria who still rely on wood as a standard fuel for heating and cooking, the Bracks Government has done nothing to address the shortage.

"In many areas of country Victoria, heating homes with bottled gas and electricity is not a viable financial or practical option," Mr Davis said.

"The Bracks Government has failed to deliver on its promise to deliver reticulated natural gas to country Victoria and the high cost of LPG makes it unaffordable for heating.

"Country Victoria is short of firewood because the Bracks Government has established more National Parks and of particular significance has been the establishment of the Box Iron Bark National Park. The result of this park has been a dramatic shortage in firewood in northern Victoria.

"Poor management of public land has also resulted in people being excluded from areas where they previously collected firewood, for example following the bushfires in Gippsland including Moondarra, the alpine fires of 2003 in north-east Victoria and Gippsland and western Victorian fires including the Grampians.

The Bracks Government has been quick to lock-up country Victoria to satisfy the Greens, but has done nothing to address the firewood shortages associated with the new National Parks.

The Liberal Party on the other hand has some definite plans to ensure wood remains a sustainable resource in Victoria and firewood supplies keep up with demand.

"A Liberal Government will encourage landholders to develop firewood plantations, providing subsidies of $600 per hectare," Mr Davis said.

"The Liberal Party will also initiate a pilot project in partnership with a contractor for the extraction of hardwood sawlog plantation thinnings for firewood.

"Priority will be given to those living in areas of particular firewood shortage, and assistance will be provided to councils and community groups to assist with firewood collection projects.

"A Liberal Government will also deliver on Labor’s promise to make environmental thinnings from the Box Iron Bark National Park available for firewood, relieving the firewood shortage problem in Victoria’s north."

Rather than simply warn country Victorians that removing firewood is illegal and threatening them with fines, a Liberal Government will work with the timber industry and country Victorians to make sure there is enough firewood to keep warm in winter.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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