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The call came as the Environment and Conservation Minister, Ms Sherryl Garbutt, condemned the violence of an overnight raid on a conservationists' camp in East Gippsland.
The Construction Forestry, Mining and Energy Union forestry division national assistant secretary, Mr Michael O'Connor, said the Government should mediate in a meeting between the groups to agree on conduct to avoid violence. "I don't think anybody involved in this debate from the peak organisations would be happy to see what has occurred over the past couple of days," he said. The three-year old Goolengook camp is part of a campaign to add the area to the Errinunundra National Park.
Police are investigating an incident in which about 40 men smashed vehicles and equipment at the remote camp just before midnight Monday. Two conservationists fled into the bush while a third was beaten. He was later admitted to hospital.
A vehicle with nine conservationists driving to the camp on a hack road was later overturned and damaged when it met a group of men leaving the scene Several occupants were assaulted.
The incidents are the latest in a series of confrontations and protests. Ms Garbutt said tensions appeared to be increasing on both sides of the forest debate, but violence was a completely unacceptable method of resolution and she wanted to meet the parties at the earliest opportunity.
The Wilderness Society's East Gippsland campaigner, Ms Jill Redwood called for the suspension of any loggers found to have taken part in the Goolengook raids.
"The logging industry should discipline those who resort to violence, not make excuses for them," she said. The Victorian Association of Forest Industries executive director, Mr Graeme Gooding, deplored the violence, but said it appeared to have been provoked by an earlier confrontation on Monday afternoon when conservationists and traditional owners of the land approached contracters in the forest.
Both sides alleged punches were thrown by their opponents when the traditional
owners tried to serve a notice of eviction on the loggers. The owners,
representing the Bidawal and Krauatungalung tribes, said they were not
consulted as required when the Commonwealth-state regional forest agreement
for East Gippsland was signed in 1997.
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