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Timber Industry Must Be Supported

Nationals Resources Spokesman and Eastern Region candidate PETER HALL is calling on the Bracks Government to immediately release their timber industry policy.

By The Nationals - 6th November 2006 - Back to News

Mr Hall said there were disturbing rumours ‘around the traps’ that the Labor Government was about to impose further resource cuts to native timber supply.

"I fear the Bracks Government is about to make a pre-emptive statement about the future of Goolengook and other old growth forest areas in East Gippsland which is likely to be the death knell for some small rural communities," Mr Hall said.

Mr Hall said the Bracks Government was no friend of the timber industry having already reduced timber resource availability across Gippsland by more than 30%, taking away hundreds of jobs and leaving many without compensation. He said the impending election and deals to secure green preferences are likely to see further pressures on the industry.

"The Government pre-empted the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) enquiry into the Otways at the last election promising to create major new National Parks and there is every possibility they will do it again with VEAC’s Goolengook and River Red-Gum investigations. You can’t trust them," claims Mr Hall.

Mr Hall said the most galling aspect of the whole timber debate was the refusal by many to acknowledge the positive environment benefits that timber harvesting and timber use can have.

"Young trees absorb more CO2 than mature trees. And wood is the only mainstream construction material that stores carbon," Mr Hall said.

"Combined with the fact the less than 10% of Victoria’s forested areas are available for timber harvesting and only around 0.1% of this area is ever harvested in any one year, the claim that timber harvesting is bad for the environment is a complete furphy," Mr Hall said.

Mr Hall said The Nationals will strongly resist any further net reductions to the timber resources in Victorian forests.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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