Tuckey Gets Wood Splinters

Export Woodchip Licences Extended

The conservation groups of the South East Forest Alliance today welcomed the news that Commonwealth Forests Minister Wilson Tuckey has extended export woodchipping licences until 31 March 2000. SEFA is calling for the NSW and Commonwealth Governments to use the opportunity to defer negotiations on the fate of the Southern NSW forests until next year.

SEFA spokespersons said, " Mr Tuckey has finally had a rush of commonsense. It was obvious that in both Victoria and NSW the woodchippers timetable to complete regional forest assessments by Christmas was totally unrealistic. In fact, renewed conflict would have been inevitable.""

"There are two important opportunities for NSW from this decision."

" First, it allows the Southern NSW regional assessment for the South Coast and Tumut forests time to address severe faults in the process, including the quality of information and major information gaps, due to the rushed woodchipping timetable which scheduled negotiations for next week."

"Genuine public consultation had already been sacrificed for these areas to meet this unrealistic timetable."

"Second, it allows the conservation movement to genuinely explore with the regional sawmillers , other stakeholders and the Government a better vision for the timber industry than woodchipping and feeding native forests as fuel for electricity generation."

"Better outcomes are clearly possible if the NSW government and industry are prepared to consider the positive elements of the South East Queensland forest agreement which has been supported by both conservation groups and the timber industry, unlike all other forest assessments completed to date in NSW and other states."

" SEFA is calling on the NSW government to seize the benefit of Wilson Tuckey's decision and defer the negotiations on the future of the South Coast and Tumut forests until February next year."

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For Further Comment:

Noel Plumb 0412 975 575 Peter Hudson 4456 4070

MEDIA RELEASE 27 October 1999

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