Greens
MP and Forest spokesperson, Dawn Walker MP has criticised the NSW
Government for failing to support her Forestry Amendment
Bill that would have restored the public’s ability to enforce breaches
of forestry regulations.
“It’s
appalling that the NSW Liberal-National Government have teamed up with
the Shooters Party to oppose a bill that would have
restored the rights of community members to take legal action when they
observe reckless and devastating breaches of forestry laws by NSW
Forestry Corporation and their contractors.
“State-owned
corporations should to be held to the same standard as everyone else,
yet we know that Forestry Corporation continues
to breach environmental laws and they are not being accountable by the
under-resourced Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).
“A
culture of non-compliance and continuing evidence of breaches by
Forestry Corporation make it clear that the current safeguards
are not working. Laws are not being enforced and when they are
breached, there is little or no consequence for Forestry Corporation.
“Community
surveys consistently report a number of breaches in Forest
Corporation’s logging operations, including logging in exclusion
zones, reckless damage of hollow-bearing and illegal logging around
streams.
“Community
members are frustrated as they see these environments on state land
illegally logged, rules disregarded and they remain
powerless to to do anything about it.
“The
Government claims that the current enforcement arrangements provide
rigorous protection of our public forests, but I’ve seen
first-hand the damage being done.
“This Government has failed the community when it comes to guardianship of our public natural resources and it continues to fail
them by refusing to adequately regulate Forestry Corporation.
“NSW
is the only state that prohibits individuals and community groups from
taking legal action in regards to native forestry operations.
Denying the community a voice in ensuring forestry laws are upheld
shows that this Government has no commitment to the environment or
democracy.
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