12-4-02
RALLY FOR OUR FORESTS
Saturday
May 18 Batman Park, Cnr Flinders & Spencer Street, Melbourne City 11am, Melways:
1A, A11 (opposite the State ALP conference - Melbourne Convention Centre)
Momentum is gathering for an end to logging in old growth forests. In the lead up to the next Victoria Election, the Bracks government will be making critical decisions on whether to protect or destroy old growth forests and water catchments such as Goolengook the Otways, Melbourne's water catchments and the Wombat forests. There has never been a more critical time for Victoria"s forest.
Be seen, be heard, voice your dissent, and let everyone know that votes will be NOT go the ALP on their current disastrous policies.
Rally has been organised by TWS, ACF, VNPA, FOE and 15 rural groups.
23-3-02
More arrests as dodgy tactics continue by the NRE. 2 Tree-sitters arrested after they came down from their trees which were a-shaking as dozers are allowed to come close to trees and people are being arrested for attempting to be liaison with Police, all the while NRE make noises about wanting a Protocol or Code of Conduct. More actions continuing round the clock.
There are people in Goolengook forest who have not come out since the bust! They are doing it hard, camping in a different place every night, stashing their gear during the day and running from cops and NRE in desperate attempts to set up and supply treesits. They are becoming superfit action heroes and we can't sing their praises enough. One of the women who was finally arrested yesterday after flying a 50m treesit wants to know "Where is everyone?" She wants it known that its not that hard for people to walk in and people shouldn't be put off by the exclusion zone. It is also a great opportunity to know the forest intimately before it disappears!
Community action in Bairnsdale on Friday saw upwards of 100 concerned citizens, including mums, dads, kids, bee keepers, doctors, environmentalists, tourism operators and sundry others meet outside sitting memeber "Independent" Craig Ingram's office to get him to say something about Goolengook. Not surprisingly he was not in a talkative mood, and according to one eye-witness his arrival and departure "looked ridiculous".
We will be having another community action on Sunday at the Gate on Goolengook Rd, hope to see you there - if not gear up for a big Easter campaign - if we can get the numbers a mass walk-in will be unstoppable and will make the powers that be look ridiculous as they try to arrest mums dads kids and sundry others for tring to assert our rights - to walk unhindered in the bush, in our state forests. Make no mistake - this exclusion zone stuff is just the first step in the whittling away of our rights to protest - if we don't stand up now we will sit in fear for the rest of our lives. Solidarity. GECO
email steve.bracks@parliament.vic.gov.au
Forests
Forever 2002
4 day ecology camp in East Gippsland.
Easter March 29th - April 1st
14-3-02
Rally for Goolengook
Friday 5pm @ NRE offices in Melb - corner Victoria Pde and Nicholson St. Bring friends, babies, banners, woodchips, whatever. Show your outrage!
People power :Bidawal elders, supported by environmentalists, demand access to traditional lands (forest) but are denied by DNRE at Goolengook.
Peter Rutherford (NRE) trying to defend his decision to log Goolengook.
An independant media representative prior to being assaulted (by DNRE worker).
Quoll Action outside DNRE 13-3-02
8-3-02
Forestry Victoria, the commercial logging branch (and ultimately the executive) within the Department of Natural Resources and Environment seem intent on destroying old growth forests and exporting them as woodchips. They are also oblivious to the social upheaval and misery caused by their incompetence. We call on Sherryl Garbutt and Steve Bracks to protect the magnificent forests of Goolengook and remove Forestry Victoria from all responsibilities regarding the conservation and management of our forests.
Action 5pm Friday 8th, The Department of Natural Resources and Environment - Cnr Victoria Parade and Nicholson St.s (outside the grey tower opp the corner of Exhibition gardens).
Loud & proud
email steve.bracks@parliament.vic.gov.au
6-3-02
Goolengook update: Two people locked on again this morning. One to the bridge that was supposedly destroyed and dismantled by greenies.(The bridge was burned by DNRE during a napalm regeneration burn)
Dozers are due to begin work tomorrow, with the other three crews coming in during the next few days/week.
The Goolengook coupes will be 'full pulp' coupes this time. That means about 85% of what is cut down will end up as woodchips. It could be going to Daishowa or Midways woodchip mills. (No place for a heritage forest!)
5-3-02
MEDIA RELEASE
Goolengook Blockade Bust Today Australia's longest running forest blockade at Goolengook in East Gippsland is being removed. 40-50 police and around a dozen representatives of the Department of Natural Resources arrived at the camp before dawn in a move by the government to find a scapegoat for the failure of the Regional Forest Agreement and recent release of Sustainable Yield figures.
While reductions in sustainable yields are costing logging industry jobs, woodchip volumes are again on the rise. Continuously blockaded since early 1997, Goolengook is positioned just below the Errinundra National Park, and contains many of the same values that have resulted in the National Park being protected.
In 1998 Goolengook was visited by eminent British Biologist and naturalist Dr David Bellamy, who remarked that if he could save any one area of temperate forest in the world it would be Goolengook. Senator Bob Brown was arrested at Goolengook in 1997, a year which saw almost 300 arrests as conservationists sought to halt logging. 109 people were later acquitted when Dr Brown proved the logging operation to be illegal and in contravention of the Heritage Rivers Act.
The forests of Goolengook encapsulate everything that is rare and breathtaking about East Gippsland. Goolengook contains an unrivaled assemblage of flora and fauna that include a multitude of rare threatened and endangered species and plant communities. Logging will destroy these flora species and degrade habitat for animals. Goolengook has nine plant and animals listed as threatened under the Flora & Fauna Guarantee Act 1998 and another nine listed as rare and\or vulnerable. With only 5% of Australias OLD GROWTH forests remaining the time to protect Goolengook is now.
Call us in Goongerah, at GECO on 03 51540156
Contact Steve Bracks now if you want to stop this madness
Steve Bracks: Ministerial office ph : 03 9651 5000 fax:: 03 9651 5054
Electorate Office: Ph: 03 9399 9022 fax : 03 397 7227
email steve.bracks@parliament.vic.gov.au
20-2-02
RED ALERT ! (this one's a real one...)
ERRINUNDRA PLATEAU NEEDS NUMBERS HERE NOW. The internationally significant rainforests of "Dingo Creek" on East Gippsland's Errinundra plateau are being clearfelled right now. Logging here was halted last April following blockades and the wet season. A subsequent court case challenging the legality of logging operations at Dingo Ck has been in progress, and is still waiting for a verdict.
Meanwhile the NRE began logging the evidence 3 days ago ! Conservationists from GECO say this logging operation has breached various legislation and government regulation codes. While our lawyer is doing what he can, it seems like chances of an injunction are slim.... Political avenues of complaint seem exhausted, and while we can crank the media, it's essential that on the ground action occurs concurrently, or this forest will be lost before any outcomes are reached.
Residents of Goongerah have daily been treated to witnessing 1, 2 and 3 log loads at regular intervals- fresh from the last of the unprotected old growth forests. Without the numbers to pursue safe direct action, the situation is desperate. The industry is going as hard as possible on the eve of massive reductions in 'sustainable yield' figures (over 40% in E.G), and targetting what they know are our 'icon' forests. CFMEU and even enviro minister Garbutt are talking about logging SPZs and stream buffers to compensate....... Frightening times in the wild east....despite positive change being so close (sust yield reductions, new groups forming to discuss sustainable future, tourism and diversification of regional economy..), the best of the last forests are being targetted.
WE NEED NUMBERS HERE NOW ...we needed them yesterday and we'll need them tomorrow!
Call us in Goongerah, at GECO on 03 51540156
12-2-02
HELP STOP THE STUPIDITY OF THE CONTINUED LOGGING OF OUR WATER SUPPLY CATCHMENTS.
We again need to send a strong message to the government that clearfell logging within our water catchments must stop immediately!
We require as many people willing to give an hour of their time to pose for a group photograph within the latest logging coupe. Although this is an active coupe being a Sunday we do not anticipate work being done at the site.There will be a banner stating;
MR BRACKS WATER CATCHMENT LOGGING MUST STOP NOW!
The Geelong Advertiser and other media will be in attendance.
The department of Natural Resources and Environment have allowed this coupe to go ahead in the West Barwon catchment despite the findings by Sinclair, Knight and Merz that logging has already contributed to a 10% water yield decrease.
People who have expressed grave concerns about the continued clearfelling and chipping of many areas within the Otways are particularly incensed that this practice continues to occur within our catchments after such a damning report. If this includes you then we would love to see you there.
Sunday 17th Feb At 2:00pm for 2:30pm photographs Head Cold Coupe Please dress warm and dry!!!
This will be followed by a briefing by Simon Birrell from OREN on the politics involved in securing the Otways future. Please note this is entirely a community action and not aligned to any group or political party. All are welcome.
Directions: Through Forest and past the West Barwon Dam heading toward Apollo Bay. Turn left into Sunnyside road and follow the signs for about 6kms to the coupe.
For more information ring Cameron Steele on 0438211458 or leave your contact details on 52811122.