“The Tasmanian Government must act immediately to protect Tasmania's native forests as permanent and resilient carbon stores. This would include immediately ensuring that no new logging operations take place in intact natural forests in Tasmania, and commissioning a fully independent accounting methodology for carbon emissions and storage associated with current forestry operations in the State. Recognising that protecting forests in this way will require changes in employment patterns and new skills, a core element of this initiative is for the Tasmanian Government to work with the whole community to devise a genuine and community-owned transition strategy for the forestry industry, to preserve employment during and after a switch from large-scale logging native forests to existing plantations and other activities.”
Socialist Alliance Candidate for Denison, Mel Barnes stated “We think the step as outlined is best way to deal with what is described as the “forestry conflict”. If we are to achieve a safe climate, we need to ensure that no new logging of natural forest occurs, which will immediately reduce Tasmania’s carbon emissions. We know from previous studies that Tasmania’s forests are amongst the most carbon dense in the world, a fully independent study, however would give us the full picture of how much carbon is stored in our forests.”
Barnes continued, “We are proud to be a working class party, which supports working class Tasmanians, so recognizing that a just transition is necessary for timber workers and communities sustained by native forest logging, is incredibly important. We believe it is possible and necessary for workers to support a “genuine and community-owned transition strategy for the forestry industry” and we will seek to convince workers of this.”
The Socialist Alliance also calls on all other parties to adopt this step as their forest policy for the coming elections
Melanie Barnes 0423 978 518
Authorised by Susan Austin, 225 Murray St, Hobart, 7000.
9th of March 2010
