<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/nov/13/enough-is-enough-former-coalition-environment-minister-joins-push-for-a-national-ban-on-native-forest-logging>
"The Howard-era Coalition frontbencher Robert Hill and prominent Labor figure
Peter Garrett are among several former environment ministers who have signed on
to a campaign to ban native forest logging across Australia.
The push is being led by the independent MP for Mackellar, Sophie Scamps, and
calls on federal and state governments to work together on a transition away
from industrial-scale native forestry.
Former ministers backing the pledge include Hill, who served under John Howard
between 1996 and 2001, Garrett, who served between 2007 and 2010, the former
New South Wales Labor environment minister Bob Debus, and Rod Welford and
Desley Boyle, two former Queensland environment ministers.
“Too much of Australia’s rich and often unique biodiversity has been lost,”
Hill said. “What remains must be conserved and ending clearing and logging of
Australia’s native forests would significantly help.
“Those who suffer loss as a result of such a decision should be supported. It’s
time to say enough is enough.”
Geoff Gallop, the former Western Australian Labor premier, is also supporting
the pledge, as are all federal teal independents, senator David Pocock, key
independent MPs in the NSW parliament, most state and federal Greens
politicians and more than 30 environment and civil society groups.
The campaign urges state and federal governments to move towards greater use of
plantations and develop support options for any affected forestry workers.
Debus said “the best thing we can do to protect our threatened wildlife and to
take greenhouse gas out of the atmosphere is to quickly and fairly bring this
failing industry to an end”."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
