TIMBER COMMUNITIES AUSTRALIA
Media Release ~ New South Wales
TCA Looks Closely at Opposition…September 26 2002
Timber communities across the state of New South Wales will seriously have to look at ‘How to Vote’ in the next State Election after actions of the State Opposition Leader, John Brogden last Saturday.
In an action that could only be described as anti employment, anti industry and anti timber communities Mr Brogden stood beside the Greens (who vow to have our industry closed down) and said that he and his party would not support the charcoal plant proposed for Mogo on the States Far South Coast. This gives timber workers and communities a reason to ask ourselves “where will he turn next?”.
Since the signing of the Regional Forest Agreements in this state we have constantly been assured by Government and Opposition that they are committed to those agreements. The utilisation of residue in a sustainable timber industry is vital for the continued social and economic growth of rural towns and businesses such as sawmills, without any adverse environmental impacts.
NSW needs to have a progressive thinking government that is committed to natural resource management and the development of rural and regional centres.
The Eurobodalla region has a very high unemployment rate and an operation like the charcoal plant would have gone a long way to easing that problem.
After talking to a representative from Australian Silicon yesterday it is clear that they have decided against NSW and one of the reasons was that they need bi partisan support.
Since nearly 80% our the native forest in that region is not available for production, surely any government could recognise the importance the LITTLE remaining available resource is to our State economy.
This was not only to be a regional benefit, this was a huge step forward to the whole of the State. I fully understand what the people of Cowra and Lithgow must be feeling.
Rural people, in NSW, dealing in Natural Resource management must have a Government they can rely on.
