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Government must intervene in firewood fiasco: Ingram

The Independent Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, has called on the State Government to resolve the impasse that has developed between VicForests and the DSE, over who should ultimately manage Victoria’s commercial firewood cutters.

By Craig Ingram - 6th September 2006 - Back to News

"The dispute has developed following revelations that neither the VicForests or DSE wanted to manage firewood harvesting by East Gippsland’s small volume commercial firewood cutters, who currently have access to forest waste left in coupes after commercial saw log harvesting," Mr Ingram said today.

"Firewood is the only source of heating available to many Gippsland residents, particularly the elderly, or those on low incomes or in remote areas.

"Many of these residents are unable to gather their own firewood and so they rely on the services provided by the small volume cutters that operate in East Gippsland’s mixed species forests.

"Firewood is the only economic heating option available to many residents and it is therefore essential that this management issue be promptly resolved to ensure that small volume firewood cutters be given continued access to harvested coupes," Mr Ingram concluded.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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