139 OUR GREENIE PREMIER

Noelleen Ward, The Age (Your Say), 17/11/98

It seems the Premier has had a forest named in his honor in Israel (The Age, 12/11). Perhaps the Jewish National Fund is unaware of Mr Kennett's attitude to trees.   He seems to be of the opinion that trees, like everything else in Victoria, are expendable in the pursuit of power, money and prestige.

Old forests are being logged. Victorian parks, including national parks and heritage areas, are being turned over to commercial projects or "big event sport" in the expectations that this will bring increased prosperity to business.

However, to enable these projects to be carried out, inevitably trees have been sacrificed.   In Albert Park, more than a thousand trees were sacrificed for a car race. Royal Park is to lose open space in the bid for the Commonwealth Games. This is in spite of the warning that Victorian taxpayers can expect to lose millions of dollars to stage this event.

It seems ironical that the Premier should have a forest, of all things, named after him in the light of his unconcern for forests in Victoria.