[Greens-Media] Turnbull ban on illegal logging in Indonesia must also apply in Australia

[Bennett, Ebony (Sen B. Brown)]

Tuesday 10 April 2007
Turnbull ban on illegal logging in Indonesia must also apply in
Australia
The Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull is to be complimented
for belatedly heeding Greens' calls over many years to halt the impact
of tropical rainforest timber to Australia, Greens leader Bob Brown said
today.
Such logging threatens rare creatures like the Orang-utan with
extinction in Indonesia. 
"But there is a glaring hypocrisy in the environment minister's failure
to halt the more than 100,000 hectares of illegal clearing of native
woodlands in Australia each year," Senator Brown said.
And, strangely enough, on Friday Mr Turnbull is seeking Federal Court
intervention to overthrow the ban on illegal logging in Tasmania.
"Next Friday, the Chief Justice of the Federal Court will hear Minister
Turnbull's joint effort with Forestry Tasmania's appeal to lift the ban
on illegal logging in Tasmania's 10,000 hectare Wielangta Forest." 
"On 19 December 2006 Judge Shane Marshall found logging at Wielangta
broke federal law because it threatened rare creatures like Tasmania's
giant Wedgetail eagle." 
"The $200 million from the Howard government to slow up illegal logging
in Indonesia is offset by the $100 million given to Tasmania's loggers,
since the 2004 federal election, for "forestry intensification"
including accelerated logging and burning of ancient forests," Senator
Brown said.
Further information: Ebony Bennett 0409 164 603


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Ebony Bennett
Media Adviser
Office of Greens Senator Bob Brown
Mobile: 0409 164 603
Ph: (02) 6277 3170
Fax: (02) 6277 3185
ebony.bennett at aph.gov.au