Greens demand compo for sacked forestry workers

Kerry Taylor, Canberra, The Age (article), March 12 2002

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Greens senator Bob Brown last night was seeking to amend the controversial Regional Forests Agreement bill to ensure woodchip companies compensate or retrain forestry workers who are sacked.

The bill, which is being debated in the Senate, offers compensation to logging companies if forests currently logged are protected by federal action.
Senator Brown said that while the bill offered companies millions of dollars in compensation, it offered workers nothing.

The Greens are also seeking amendments to restore Commonwealth powers in the bill to protect forests and wildlife.
If passed unamended, the RFA bill will make regional forest agreements law and allow compensation for loggers affected by changes.

It would also lead to forests under such agreements not being protected by federal environment laws.
Debate on the bill was halted in the last sitting of parliament before the election.

Labor has expressed support for the bill but will push for amendments to the compensation component of it.


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