[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Forest Burns Choke Rural Residents_K Booth MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

FOREST BURNS CHOKE RURAL RESIDENTS

Minister Giddings However Unconcerned

Kim Booth MP
Greens Shadow Forests spokesperson

Thursday, 21 August 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today called on Minister for Health, to act on the
fact that smoke from forest burns choke Tasmanians every year,
particularly those living in rural areas, and that this serious health
issue demands intervention by the Health Department into the current
review of Forest Burns by the Forest Practices Authority as the current
review is only looking at a model that considers smoke impacts on areas
of 'significant population' with more than 200 residents. 

The Greens also tabled a further 50 pages of signed petitions from
Tasmanians from all over the state objecting to the impact from forest
burns on their health, quality of life, the effects on climate change
and the tourism industry.

Greens Shadow Forests spokesperson Kim Booth MP raised in parliament
today the plight of Ms Angelika Allen, who has sent correspondence to
Minister Giddings in a desperate attempt to get someone in the
government to acknowledge that her, and her family's health is being
severely impacted by the annual burning of plantations that are taking
over rural land outside Launceston.

"It is a disgrace that Tasmanians have to suffer from choking smoke due
to forestry burn offs every year but to add insult to injury they are
fobbed off by every government department they try and contact which is
simply not good enough when we are dealing with a serious health issue."
Mr Booth said

"The government is ducking for cover and throwing up the shield of
having a review by the Forest Practices Authority into forest burns yet
that study only looks at areas that have more than 200 people so Ms
Allen's plight and the plight of thousands of rural Tasmanians like her,
is ignored."

"Minister Giddings has to understand that these smoke fogs hang around
for weeks and there are people who are having to be hospitalised because
of this."

"The Greens are calling on the Health Minister to intervene to ensure
that rural Tasmanians living in more isolated areas are included in the
FPA review, but also, that if any study being undertaken by the Health
Department shows that the primitive clear fell and burn regime of the
woodchip industry is damaging the health of Tasmanians then the Health
department must move to prohibit that practice."



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