Melbourne: Weld Valley Solidarity Actions : Melbourne Indymedia

Melbourne protest to support Tasmania’s Weld Valley forests

Thursday 16th November 2006

Conservationists in Melbourne have this morning gathered at the Collins Street office of Tourism Tasmania to protest the ongoing destruction of Tasmania's forests.

This morning's action is in solidarity with tree sitters and a community walk-in to forest scheduled for logging in Tasmania's Weld Valley. This comes the day after 60 police raided and demolished the long-standing Weld forest blockade.

Conservation groups and members of the community have called for the cessation of construction of a road which would open up 2000ha of pristine, globally significant World Heritage valued forest for logging and woodchipping.

Spokesperson Nicole Peach said, "The logging of Tasmania's old growth forests is a national issue. While Tasmania is promoted as a tourism hotspot for Australia, its icon forests are being destroyed for woodchips."

Huon Valley Environment Centre spokesperson Jenny Weber said, “Weld Valley Blockade in Tasmania’s south, has been the site for community resistance for the past twelve months, preventing the logging of ancient forest for woodchips.”

The Weld Ark Blockade has become an inspiring symbol for the campaign to protect the high conservation value forests of Southern Tasmania from being destroyed by clearfelling. It has attracted researchers, media, tourists, activists and local community alike over the last 18 months. The Weld Ark was demolished after 60 police embarked on an early morning raid yesterday.

These forests are home to many endemic species including the endangered wedge tail eagle.

VENUE: Tasmania Travel Centre 259 Collins Street, Melbourne
TIME: 9am today

Media Contacts:
Tasmania: Jenny Weber 0427 366 929 Huon Valley Environment Centre
Melbourne: Kylie MacFarlane 0410 113 900
Nicole Peach 0429 333 960

Timber workers in threat of 'jihad'
Rick Wallace, Victorian political reporter
November 16, 2006
STEVE Bracks is heading for a Mark Latham-style showdown with timber workers over banning logging in old-growth forests in the state's far east.

The timber industry is convinced Labor is poised to protect East Gippsland's stands of old-growth trees, putting hundreds of jobs at risk.

In response, timber workers are preparing to unleash "jihad" on the Bracks Government to try to crush his electoral chances as they did to Mr Latham's federal campaign in 2004.

Local independent MP Craig Ingram - who helped Mr Bracks form government in 1999 - threatened yesterday to withdraw his support for Labor if the Government banned logging in Gippsland's old-growth forests.

"It could be the leg-up (Liberal leader) Ted Baillieu needs if they get it wrong," he told The Australian yesterday.

Mr Ingram said workers and the industry would stage rowdy demonstrations and actively campaign against Labor in key marginal seats if they were dudded on the logging issue.

"There's going to be a jihad if there's a decision that impacts on investment in the industry or jobs," he said.

"If that happens, it will be war. It will be Latham Mark II. They (the workers) went to war against Labor last time, and it cost them dearly.

"Either side of politics could end up looking a bit like Mark Latham, or either side could look like John Howard."

Forestry workers in Tasmania derailed the final week of former federal opposition leader Mr Latham's bid to topple Mr Howard in 2004, after Mr Latham sided with Greens leader Bob Brown on protecting old-growth forests in the Styx Valley.

In their fury at Mr Latham, the workers - members of the Labor-affiliated forestry union - threw their support behind the Prime Minister in a devastating blow to the ALP's campaign.

Victorian Association of Forestry Industries chief executive Tricia Caswell said the industry was "very pessimistic" about the state Government's policy, and expected it to include tight restrictions on old-growth logging.

"We have heard very substantial rumours," she said. "It will have a long-term effect on the viability of the industry in East Gippsland. There will be significant numbers of jobs lost and the real effect will be a flow-on effect on these communities."

Old-growth forests support 40per cent of the timber industry in East Gippsland, but Ms Caswell said 70 per cent of those regions are protected.

She said logging bankrolled one-third of the Gippsland economy, and a ban would cripple the towns of Orbost, Cann River, Newmerella, Buchan and Marlo and Mallacoota.

Ms Caswell, a former Australian Conservation Foundation chief, said banning logging was "small beer" compared with tackling global warming, water shortages and energy use.

"It's an easy way to look green when its really small beer in terms of the environment."

A spokesman for Environment Minister John Thwaites said the Government's policy would balance conserving natural resources and supporting a sustainable logging industry.

One Labor source said the party would not do anything that sparked a revolt from timber workers. "We're not going to have a repeat of what happened down in Tasmania," he said.

Greens upper house candidate Greg Barber denied any deal had been struck with the ALP to lock up East Gippsland forests in exchange for preferences.

"No, I don't. I wish I had," Mr Barber said. "It's not even a question of discussions. There was no deal.

"There is very little old-growth left in Victoria. It will be logged out in a few more years or it will be protected.

"Forest destruction continued under (premiers) John Cain, Joan Kirner, Jeff Kennett and Steve Bracks, but protecting all of the water catchments and high conservation value forests is a much bigger ask than just old growth."

ob fears over log trade

LUKE SAYER

November 16, 2006 12:00am
Article from: The Mercury

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TIMBER workers who could lose their jobs within weeks staged a protest against log exports on the Burnie wharf yesterday.
About 120 of the 300 workers from Auspine and Frenchpine mills at Scottsdale travelled to protest against the loading of a ship bound for Korea with 13,500 tonnes of pine logs.

The mill is at a stalemate over its resource supply agreement with Rayonier, with just 46 days to reach a deal.

Auspine employee Dean Smith said the mood was grim but workers wouldn't sit back and watch their jobs be shipped overseas.

"We've had enough. We went to see Paul Lennon and we thought we had an assurance that he would step in if things got out of hand," Mr Smith said.

"We shook his hand and took him at his word but he hasn't come back with anything."

He said the logs on the latest shipment could keep Auspine and Frenchpine operating for about a fortnight.

CFMEU state secretary Scott McLean said nobody seemed to be paying any attention to the future of the workers.

"We've put in calls to the Minister (Mr Lennon) to come to our assistance, but as it stands they are doing nothing," Mr McLean said. "As of January 1 there is no log security at the operation and we could be looking at mass redundancies.

"This could really decimate the North-East community."

He said yesterday's protest was about highlighting an "absurd situation".

"On one hand we can't get security of resource, but on the other we are sending logs overseas.

"The jobs are being shipped out of the state on these ships."

The Premier rejected the union claim that he was not responding to its calls over the impasse.

"The CFMEU know they have access to my office but the government can't inject itself into the middle of the negotiating table," Mr Lennon said.

"The parties are engaged in commercial negotiations and it would be wrong for the government to interfere in those negotiations.

"The people of Scottsdale know I'm the biggest supporter of the timber industry in Parliament. They know they have my support.

"The two parties can only reach an agreement if they are at the negotiating table."

An Auspine employee of 20 years who retired four months ago, Barry Summers, joined his workmates at yesterday's protest.

"We lost Simplot and we've lost a lot of others, if we lose the mills it will decimate the North-East," he said.

Economy, Business & Finance front page front page

Timber workers fear for jobs
Employees protest in Burnie over pine log export
By TOM ELLISON , Thursday, 16 November 2006

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NORTH-Eastern timber workers are bracing themselves for job losses, with a union saying Scottsdale sawmiller Auspine could start slashing its workforce before Christmas.

Around 100 workers from Auspine's two mills blockaded the Burnie port yesterday, protesting against the export of pine logs, which they claim is costing local jobs.

The protesters took the action in an attempt to force the State Government to intervene in stalled negotiations over a deal for the long-term supply of pine sawlogs.

Auspine chief operations office Andrew Jakab yesterday refused to comment on the likelihood of job losses, although he has previously stated that in the absence of a supply deal, a cut to staffing numbers was inevitable.

Plantation manager Rayonier's Mike Claridge said yesterday that pine logs were only being exported after contractual requirements with all Tasmanian customers had been met.

Auspine claims the lack of a supply agreement with Rayonier places the future of the two mills at risk. Rayonier manages the softwood resource on behalf of joint venture partners GMO Renewable Resources and Forestry Tasmania.

CFMEU state secretary Scott McLean said Rayonier's actions in sending pine logs overseas amounted to exporting Tasmanian jobs.

"Three weeks ago, negotiations for the log supply agreement ceased and while stating the bleeding obvious, without the intervention of a third party, workers face the loss of their jobs before Christmas," Mr McLean said.

"Rayonier has repeatedly provided local mills the opportunity to make an offer for export logs. This opportunity has not been taken up to date," he said.

Mr Claridge declined to comment on the status of negotiations between the parties, but it is understand Rayonier has offered Auspine a three- month contract extension in an attempt to defuse the situation.

Bass Liberal MHA Peter Gutwein said the Premier should act to form an emergency task force, and begin working to prevent any job losses.

Premier Paul Lennon reaffirmed the Government's stance on the matter, saying he was monitoring the situation, but it would be wrong to interfere in commercial negotiations.

"Auspine and Rayonier need to get around the negotiating table and thrash out an agreement," he said.