Local residents in the Strzelecki Ranges of Central Gippsland are taking to the streets of Traralgon to protest at State Government-hacked attempts by Amcor re, clear their last remaining native forests.
Environment Victoria spokesperson, Dr. Rod Anderson today announced conservation movement support for a major rally in Traralgon on Saturday 19th July, which Friends of the Gippsland bush have called to oppose Amcor's plan to clear a further 1995 hectares. Expert speakers at the rally include Charles McCubbin, a well known local artist, naturalist, and grandson of famous Australian painter Frederick McCubbin.
Amcor Originally applied for permits to clear 1,995 hectares of Central Gippsland native forest in January 1996. Strong community opposition - approximately 700 submissions and signatures on petitions, forced Minister for Planning Robert Maclellan to appoint an Independent Panel to review the issue and hear submissions.
The panel's report was concluded in September 1996, but not released by the Minister until February 1997. Their findings recommended no clearing at all. Every one of Amcor' s applications to clear native forest was rejected. However, Mr. Maclellan used his power to override the Independent Panel's recommendations, and granted permits to Amcor to clear all of the 1,995 hectares.
"The Government's actions were not a complete surprise," said Dr. Anderson "given Amcor's close links with State and Federal Governments, and its status as one of the biggest corporate donors to the Liberal Party. The State Government was looking after its friends - just as it did when, in 1996, it legislated to give Amcor guaranteed logging access to public forests in the Central Highlands until the Year 2030.''
Community outrage at the Maclellan decision prompted Amcor to begin negotiations with Friends of the Gippsland Bush. However, local opinion is divided as to whether Amcor is negotiating in good faith. Those still negotiating with Amcor see the talks as a chance to save at least some bush given Amcor's strong position and the poor result of Government processes. Those behind the rally feel that Amcor's main interest in negotiations has been to extract maximum good PR despite a poor conservation outcome.''Amcor's success in splitting the locals is a classic instance of the kind of ruthless PR tactics that big corporations have used against conservationists in the USA and increasingly in Australia," said Dr. Anderson.
"There are important principles at stake here. It is no longer necessary to clear out scarce native forests for paper or timber products. There is more than enough wood fibre available from recycling and the great plantation stockpile. And a number of small. non-viable conservation islands in a sea of cleared land is a poor conservation outcome."
"Furthermore, the areas to be cleared have great signitcance as refuges for native fauna. Two thousand koalas could die, and these are a large part of the last remaining endemic koala population in Victoria - as all other koala populations in the State owe their genetic stock to the French Island colony. As the Independent Panel found, there is no justification for turning these forests into woodchips".