Internal feud hits ALP over forests

Claire Miller, Environment Reporter, The Age (article), 14/3/2001

The group, formed last year as a non-factional network, is seeking an end to clear-felling in the Otways, implementation of ALP ecotourism policies and monitoring of future native forest industry developments in the region.  It is offering speakers to deliver a 15-minute presentation at branch meetings.

But in correspondence obtained by The Age, Ms Garbutt accuses the Otways group of misrepresenting some of the ALP's policy commitments. She urges members interested in forests to work through the party's conservation and environment policy committee. A spokeswoman for the minister said Ms Garbutt was not trying to stifle debate, simply urging it be conducted in the appropriate forums.

But the minister's move has angered the party, with sources saying they are concerned that the government is trying to stifle democratic processes in the face of mounting internal tension.  The Otways group has since written to branches saying it was important that the Victorian ALP moved with the times and that clear-felling areas such as the Otways and converting forests into "woodchip-directed plantations" was neither sustainable nor acceptable.

"The growing strategic importance of responsible management of our native state forests is evidenced by the WA Labor Party's promise to end clear-felling in that state," the group states. It says Otways tourism is worth more than $800million a year and is developing. "Forest-based tourism, as well as rebuilding a timber industry based on rational principles, will provide job growth which will more than offset job losses in the native forest timber industry," it says.

The group says it neither attempted to offend the minister nor criticise her capacity to manage her department, but it had to respond "unequivocally" to her attempt to discredit its members. Ms Garbutt's spokeswoman said there was always vigorous debate on future policy directions but the government would continue implementing its election commitments on forestry.