[Greens-Media] Bob Gordon's Mae West greeting to Swift Parrot is tripe, says Brown

[Bennett, Ebony (Sen B. Brown)]

Tuesday, 14 October 2008

Bob Gordon's Mae West greeting to Swift Parrot is tripe, says Brown

The one-season stay of logging at Wielangta is pre-extinction blinkers' tactics by Forestry Tasmania's Managing Director Bob Gordon', Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"His Mae West 'pleased to see you' welcome to the Swift Parrot is with a chainsaw in his pocket. Next year he will wreck their ancient nesting ground," Senator Brown said.

"The heart of the forest the Swift Parrot's have returned to - coupe 19D at Wielangta - would have been destroyed last year if Mr Gordon's hand had not been stopped by my Federal Court action," Senator Brown said.

"Without the court stay, the nests now being set up by the parrots would not exist because the trees would be in Japan. Gordon's perverse plan is to wait till the nesting birds leave in late summer, then have Gunns woodchip the trees so the birds nesting trees. 

The Court did not find that the Regional Forest Agreement protects the bird (as Gordon claims). It found that:
	'Having regard to the endagered status of the swift parrot and all other threats to it, forestry operations are likely to have a significant impact by reducing part of its prime nesting habitat (para 162)'

Further information: Ebony Bennett 0409 164 603


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Ebony Bennett
Media Advisor 
Senator Bob Brown | Leader of the Australian Greens 
e: ebony.bennett at aph.gov.au 
m: 0409 164 603 | p: (02) 6277 3170 | f: (02) 6277 3185
w: www.bobbrown.org.au <http://www.bobbrown.org.au/>   <http://www.greens.org.au>