Questions to member
I have respect for Member for Bega Andrew Constance and all that he has achieved over the years. Regarding his statement in the article "Future of sawmill 'not up' to state" (Magnet, 21/2) I point out that Forestry Corp is 100 per cent owned by the NSW government and in the end the NSW government does have control as do all shareholders via shareholder meetings in any other commercial company. They can influence the supply of timber to the mill.
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Questions:
1) In the new system is the wood going to be milled in Australia or sent overseas - it is easy for a company to publish plans but have they started building the mill yet?
2) Have you read the letter from the manager of Blueridge Sawmills which proves that undersized hardwood is being harvested and not allowed to grow onto full sawmill size?
Allan Gibson, Eden
Lively forum
Last evening's (February 22) forum run by the Australian Conservation Foundation was a very lively event and all of the candidates presented well.
The Liberal candidate Dr Fiona Kotvoys has very impressive academic qualifications, but her refusal to accept the majority opinion (97 per cent) of actual climate scientists as set out in the IPCC reports and the fact that the majority opinion of the population at large accepts this, should rule her out of contention. She was absolutely clear when she said that there is still uncertainty as to the role that human activity plays in the changing climate and she rolled out the same tired old excuses that we have been hearing for decades.
Mike Kelly, our current MP, responded by supporting the science and pointing out with such intense feeling that we must act now on climate change for the sake of our children and grandchildren.
Barry Stevens, Tura Beach
Future of forests
In response to the article "Forest future's 'shifting goals'" (Magnet, 14/2).
I am a young local born and bred here. I went to Eden Marine High and most that were there in my time did leave the area, but the remaining secured jobs in hospitality and tourism, outweighing job opportunities in the timber industry tenfold.
Employment in native forest logging is decreasing from its own accord, due to automation like others in our fast changing society.
Any local that has lived in this area would have noticed several sawmills closing since '97, due to larger amount of wood chipping, which I might add is a foreign investment.
On another note, it is highly unlikely that the future of plantation will be undermined as you can clearly see their ongoing success.
Thank goodness to the "'goalposts keep moving' in regards to environment protection" because I am the younger generation, and I don't want to live in anymore consequences that my predecessors have handed down to me. Goalposts are actually becoming bigger and bigger, surveys for harvest plans are becoming more and more controversial. Australia has the highest extinction rate in the world, we should be protecting our unique flora and fauna at all costs. I am most positive with eco-tourism, but with more cruise ships coming into an industrial harbor, the Eden chip mill being the first thing they see, it is a national embarrassment (not a great eco-tourism draw card). Is this not supposed to be a Garden of Eden? Lets flip the irony and turn the South Coast into the paradise it deserves.
I speak not only for myself, but a large majority of young locals in this area. We would rather see our public forests have more Indigenous influence, land care groups, proper bush regeneration and areas for multiple use. We need to be thinking and moving forward, standing together to create better solutions that benefit the environment, us as a community and the generations to come.
R Anderson
