Thursday 3rd May 2001 Gerry Eckhoff Media Release -- Environment

ACT Conservation Spokesman MP Gerry Eckhoff today called on Conservation Minister Sandra Lee and her fellow MPs in Alliance and Labour to support his private members bill to allow salvage logging of windblown trees on DoC land.

“I am delighted that my private members bill has been selected from the Ballot today and will be debated by Parliament. By voting for the Conservation (Fallen Timber Sale to Fund Programmes) Amendment Bill, the Government has a real opportunity to improve our native fauna.

“Leaving windblown trees to deteriorate on the forest floor is wasteful,” Gerry Eckhoff said.

“The state-owned forest cannot recover without a huge investment by taxpayers. Money gained from selling this timber would be utilised for the overall benefit of the ecosystem.

“A minimum-impact approach would be adopted. By taking only the main trunks, much biomass would be retained in the forest.

“Ms Lee’s fundamentalist approach to conservation is causing despair in many organisations concerned about the future sustainability of our biodiversity.

“It is time for her to wake up and apply some common sense.

“If she votes against my bill, she will be effectively letting millions of dollars that could be reinvested in the environment rot on the forest floor. That is inexcusable,” Gerry Eckhoff said.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

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