Australian Government delivers underarm

Australian Government delivers underarm in Global efforts to address climate change.

Media Release – For Immediate Distribution

 Friday 16thth January 2009

The Australian Government has delivered another underarm to the Pacific region and the world, this time on addressing climate.

Australia’s lack of any realistic targets to address climate change have been highlighted this week by clashes between police and conservationists over new logging of oldgrowth forests in Tasmania’s Upper Florentine Valley.

“The clashes this week over logging of globally recognised, world heritage value forest have highlighted the Australian Government’s hypocritical stance on protecting forests in the Asia-Pacific” said Shayne McGrath, a New Zealand forest and climate campaigner now based in Australia. “This includes giving financial assistance and encouragement to countries in the region to protect their forests to fight climate change, yet allowing Australian taxpayer dollars to destroy forests which have recently been reported by the Australian National University to be the most carbon dense in the world”[i].

“In 2006 the Australian Government pledged A$200 million (NZ$243million) to developing countries to monitor and reduce carbon emissions from logging and deforestation, whilst at the same time, with the support of the Tasmanian State Labour Government, it has spent well over A$235 million (NZ$286 million) on subsidising the Tasmanian Logging industry with handouts and tax breaks.” Said Mr McGrath

“Early on Monday January 13th around 65 police, and a number of forest contractors stormed a peaceful community blockade in the Upper Florentine Valley, located in Tasmania’s southern forests. The camp had been successfully preventing the construction of a logging road into a threatened patch of forest known as forestry coupe F0044A. This area contains giant Eucalyptus up to 75m tall, ancient mosses, and 8m tree ferns and has been recommended for protection by the United Nations' World Heritage Committee.” Reports McGrath

“Forestry Tasmania plan to construct 10.8km of new logging roads into the heart of the Upper Florentine Valley. Construction of these roads and subsequent logging will rip apart an ancient and globally significant eco-system”[ii].

“Throughout the week the public has rallied outside the State Parliament in protest and hundreds from the local community conducted a peaceful march into the Upper Florentine Valley which resulted in work on the logging road being halted, and brought the total number of arrests to 27, which is likely to increase today as protest continue. Those arrested have been charged with a range of offences including trespass and breaching bail conditions.”

“The local community is unwilling to stand back and watch the Australian and Tasmanian State Government propel the destruction of our climate through logging these ancient forests. Politicians must be held accountable for their decisions to continue to destroy Australia’s carbon rich native forests. Around 90% of the timber harvested from these remarkable eco-systems will be wood chipped and exported to produce paper in Asia. Protest numbers are expected to escalate in Australia as citizens are demanding more than the 5% emissions reduction target proposed by the Rudd Government” Concluded Mr McGrath

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