Parliamentary secretary for forestry Sid Sidebottom has attacked opposition leader Tony Abbott over logging. Source: The Weekly Times
Mr Abbott told a public meeting most Australians were “revolted” to see clearfelled logging coupes, which are typically burned after harvest. He said he was “very reluctant” to support clearfell logging, the method used by all State Government owned logging agencies in Australia, and spoke of the benefits of selective logging.
Mr Sidebottom said Mr Abbott had brought “into jeopardy” the Regional Forest Agreements in Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia and Tasmania (SA and
Queensland no longer log native forest).
“Mr Abbott seems to fashion his answer to the particular audiences he’s talking to,” Mr Sidebottom said.
MyEnvironment spokeswoman Sarah Rees said Mr Abbott had “merely reflected findings of the recent Supreme Court, where Justice Robert Osborn agreed that clearfell logging was not appropriate in high conservation areas that contain endangered species”.
Australian Paper maker of Reflex copy paper says it is moving toward using more plantation and recycled material in the product but is finding it difficult to source enough.
Reflex has been the target of a boycott by more than 1500 companies over its use of native forest woodchip. The product no longer qualifies for the Forest Stewardship Certification because of its use of native forest woodchip, although the company maintains some other FSC certification.
A company spokesman said a feasibility study was being undertaken to increase the company’s use of recycled material. It was also aiming to establish access to more plantations, he said, although this was unlikely to be able to provide enough to enable the company to stop using native forest in Reflex altogether.
