Native forest logging in New South Wales (NSW) will continue to receive support, the Australian Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union and the NSW Nationals party said, despite a report by the previous coalition government that found that the industry could be ended without hurting the budget.
However, environmental groups have welcomed the revelation that the department assessed an industry closure for then-NSW minister for environment and heritage James Griffin, saying it is proof that it could be done “if the political will is there.”
The NSW Labor Party’s incoming minister for climate change and energy Penny Sharpe was not briefed on the work that found carbon and biodiversity credit income from halting logging could pay for compensation to loggers and others affected by an end, Guardian Australia found.
Photo: Reuters
New South Wales Treasurer Daniel Mookhey, who has responsibility for state-owned Forestry Corp NSW, has been approached for comment.
Union national secretary Michael O’Connor warned against the cessation of the industry, saying it employs “thousands of workers” and is vital for the social fabric of many communities.
O’Connor said the NSW Labor government “won’t treat our members with the disrespect we’ve received from the [Daniel] Andrews government,” referring to the premier of Victoria.
On Tuesday, Victoria announced it would bring forward the end of native logging to next year, a decision some workers learned about on the radio as they headed to work, he said.
“We’re confident NSW will be a lot more inclusive about how they make decisions,” he said.
Native forest logging has been loss-making for years, prompting Victoria to follow Western Australia’s looming ban.
Unions have said there are not enough plantations to supply the market with sufficient hardwood, so demand would divert to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and other nations with looser rules.
However, analysis supporting the industry’s closure showed “it can be done if the political will is there,” NSW Nature Conservation Council chief executive officer Jacqui Mumford said.
“At a time when our forests are in peril, species are spiraling towards extinction, and NSW is struggling to meet its climate goals, ending native forest logging is a no-brainer to work towards solving these linked crises,” Mumford said. “Pressure is mounting on the [NSW Premier Chris] Minns’ government to take action to protect NSW’s precious forests from logging.”
National Party of Australia leader Dugald Saunders did not deny his party had stymied the plan to phase out native forestry.
“We always supported regional communities to ensure native forest harvesting in NSW is carefully managed under a robust regulatory framework to ensure the right balance is struck between environmental protection and forestry operations,” he said.
A new online voting system aimed at boosting turnout among the Philippines’ millions of overseas workers ahead of Monday’s mid-term elections has been marked by confusion and fears of disenfranchisement. Thousands of overseas Filipino workers have already cast their ballots in the race dominated by a bitter feud between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and his impeached vice president, Sara Duterte. While official turnout figures are not yet publicly available, data from the Philippine Commission on Elections (COMELEC) showed that at least 134,000 of the 1.22 million registered overseas voters have signed up for the new online system, which opened on April 13. However,
ALLIES: Calling Putin his ‘old friend,’ Xi said Beijing stood alongside Russia ‘in the face of the international counter-current of unilateralism and hegemonic bullying’ Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) yesterday was in Moscow for a state visit ahead of the Kremlin’s grand Victory Day celebrations, as Ukraine accused Russia’s army of launching air strikes just hours into a supposed truce. More than 20 foreign leaders were in Russia to attend a vast military parade today marking 80 years since the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, taking place three years into Russia’s offensive in Ukraine. Putin ordered troops into Ukraine in February 2022 and has marshaled the memory of Soviet victory against Nazi Germany to justify his campaign and rally society behind the offensive,
ENTERTAINMENT: Rio officials have a history of organizing massive concerts on Copacabana Beach, with Madonna’s show drawing about 1.6 million fans last year Lady Gaga on Saturday night gave a free concert in front of 2 million fans who poured onto Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro for the biggest show of her career. “Tonight, we’re making history... Thank you for making history with me,” Lady Gaga told a screaming crowd. The Mother Monster, as she is known, started the show at about 10:10pm local time with her 2011 song Bloody Mary. Cries of joy rose from the tightly packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand. Concert organizers said 2.1 million people attended the show. Lady Gaga
CONFLICTING REPORTS: Beijing said it was ‘not familiar with the matter’ when asked if Chinese jets were used in the conflict, after Pakistan’s foreign minister said they were The Pakistan Army yesterday said it shot down 25 Indian drones, a day after the worst violence between the nuclear-armed rivals in two decades. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed to retaliate after India launched deadly missile strikes on Wednesday morning, escalating days of gunfire along their border. At least 45 deaths were reported from both sides following Wednesday’s violence, including children. Pakistan’s military said in a statement yesterday that it had “so far shot down 25 Israeli-made Harop drones” at multiple location across the country. “Last night, India showed another act of aggression by sending drones to multiple locations,” Pakistan military spokesman Ahmed
RSS