Greens Party MHA Tim Morris
Wednesday, 22nd November 2006

HALT LOGGING AT WELD VALLEY!
And Stop Wasting Police Time and Resources

The Tasmanian Greens tabled a motion in the state parliament today that congratulated the committed people who are seeking to protect the high conservation value native forests of the Weld Valley in southern Tasmania from being further destroyed and calls on the Lennon Labor Government to immediately call a halt to the ongoing destruction, and acknowledge that the current direction that the forest industry is causing ongoing job losses.

Greens Shadow Native Forests spokesperson Tim Morris MHA has called on the Government to stop wasting valuable police time and resources in removing protesters from the forests and instead allow them to get on with important policing work rather than evicting protesters who are seeking to protect Tasmania's natural heritage. He also asked that the government give serious consideration to the proposals contained in the Greens' Forest Transition Strategy as a plan to both protect and create jobs whilst protecting the high conservation value forests

"The State Government through its removal of protesters who were protecting the Weld Valley is demonstrating its desire to continue the conversion of high conservation forests to virtual tree farms by continuing the outdated regime of clear-felling, burning and aerial sowing of eucalyptus seeds, " Mr Morris said.

"There is a better way to generate job from Tasmanian forests as clearly outlined in the Tasmanian Greens' Forest Transition Strategy."

"I want to tell the people who have put in such a huge effort, over an extended period of time, trying to save the Weld Valley, which has the same values as the adjacent World Heritage Area, that I personally am very thankful for their efforts."

In addition Mr Morris also tabled a motion calling for the protection of the existing leatherwood forests in order to provide security for the beekeeping industry in this state, which is currently being diminished by ongoing clearfelling operations.

"The Government seems to fail to realise that the leatherwood trees have a crucial link with the capacity to maintain and grow the quantity and productivity of the horticultural sectors well as some agricultural seed crops. That link is that the bees that pollinate crops in spring also feed on the leatherwood flowers in autumn, keeping the hives strong and ready to work again in spring."

"The ongoing destruction of the leatherwood forests is continually diminishing the area available for the beekeepers to put hives, which means that the beekeepers are unable to have as many hives available for pollinating crops, it also means, the less leatherwood trees there are the less leatherwood honey that will be available for sale and the less income for beekeepers." Mr Morris said

This Motion was tabled on Wednesday 22nd November, 2006 - see details below.

Mr Morris on tomorrow to move -

That this House notes the valiant efforts of the committed people who are seeking to protect the high conservation value natural forests of the Weld Valley from being further destroyed and calls on the Government to:

1. Immediately call a halt to the ongoing destruction;
2. Stop wasting valuable police time and resources;
3. Acknowledge that the current direction that the forest industry continues to go is causing ongoing job losses; and
4. Give serious consideration to the proposals contained in the Greens Forest Transition Strategy as a plan to both protect and create jobs whilst protecting the high conservation value forests.