[Greens-Media] Late but right

[Manderson, Roland]

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ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey MEDIA RELEASE
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Mon 8 May 06


Pines decision belated but right

ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey has welcomed the ACT Government's eventual decision to back down on plans to re-plant pines in the lower Cotter catchment (announced last Friday), and argued that in dragging its heels, the government has shown it's reluctant to listen to experts in the community. 

"For the past two years  many of Canberra's environmental scientists and conservationists, and I, have opposed the Government's policy of replanting pines in the lower Cotter catchment" Dr Foskey said today.

"While the ACT Government dragged its heels all the way; it did agree last year, after considerable pressure, to put a hold on planting while further research was conducted."

"I know the report of that research was completed some months ago. Until now, however, the Government has resisted my calls for it to be released."

" Now - at last - we can see it confirms our stance. Re-planting pines in the lower Cotter catchment would: 
	* have no real economic benefits, 
	* do long term environmental damage to the catchment, and 
	* compromise both the its recovery from future fire or weather events and the quality of the water we take from it."

"The other lesson from this project should be that we would get better more timely results if the Government were prepared to pay heed to the views of experts in our community, and to take a more open and transparent approach to policy" Dr Foskey said.




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Roland Manderson   Media Advisor
ACT   Greens    MLA  Deb  Foskey  
Legislative Assembly for the ACT 
ph(02)62050551      m 0412241379
==== www.act.greens.org.au ===== 
  
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