statenewsFeb08

Forests - State News - February 2008

10/02/08 Call for massacre memorial Jason Dowling, The Age East Gippsland and Goolengook; Gippsland

02/02/08 Government admits to over-logging but keeps on chopping, VNPA Murray Basin

Call for massacre memorial
Jason Dowling, The Age
February 10, 2008

AN ABORIGINAL elder and a state MP want a new memorial in Gippsland to recognise at least four massacre sites of Aboriginal people.

Gippsland's Gunnai people elder Albert Mullett and Independent MP for Gippsland East Craig Ingram said a monument to recognise the killings was overdue.

Mr Mullett, in his 70s, said there were four sites that Aborigines regularly identified as massacre sites. "There are four we know of, major ones that were devastating and made a lot of impact upon our ancestors at first contact," he said. The memorial could be as simple as a plaque on a rock, he said.

Mr Mullett, who lives near Bairnsdale, said it was difficult to put an exact figure on the number of Aborigines killed.

"There are stories that say maybe five or six hundred all up and some say it could have been 1000," he said. "You hear the story from the old people and they say it could have been around 1000 or 1500."

He said the massacres were over "possession of the land".

"Settlers came in 1835, so the first contact was devastating. Then they started clearing the land and stocking it with domestic stock; took away a lot food from our people, the kangaroos and the emus," he said. "Our mob started spearing the sheep and cattle for food."

Mr Ingram said that as the Prime Minister prepared to apologise to the stolen generations, Victoria should consider its Aboriginal history. He said massacres of Aborigines occurred in Gippsland and a memorial should be established.

"There are a heap of sites across East Gippsland and Victoria . . . heaps of sites across Australia," Mr Ingram said. While there were still sceptics who did not believe the massacres occurred, he said there was "enough recorded history to say that what occurred, occurred".

Mr Ingram said an Aboriginal massacre site in NSW had been recognised with a monument and it was time Victoria acted.

Government admits to over-logging but keeps on chopping

February 1, 2008, VNPA

Download press release (40kb pdf)

As people around the globe celebrate World Wetlands Day on February 2, the Victorian Government continues to over-log internationally significant Red Gum wetlands in defiance of its own laws.

On a day when the planet acknowledges the unique conservation values of wetlands, the Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA) has called on the State Government to cease breaching Victorian law and immediately reduce logging levels in the north of the State.

The Brumby Government has not changed its plans for logging the world's greatest River Red Gum forests despite admitting it is felling the trees up to 60 per cent above sustainable levels. New proposed wood utilisation plans in fact increase the amount of logging by up to 200 per cent.

Figures released last year by forest managers the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) show logging levels are about 40-60 per cent above sustainable limits in areas around Barmah, Cobram and Peechelba.

The data shows that major cuts in logging levels need to be made due to lack of Red Gum growth rates because of reductions in natural flooding of the forests. A report by Monash University released in November showed severe declines in River Red Gum health in northern Victoria, with up to 75% of trees in decline.

Despite the new figures coming to light, on January 4 DSE released unaltered Wood Utilisation Plans with a proposed 200 per cent increase in logging for the area for 2008/09.

Legal advice provided to the VNPA by the Environment Defenders Office concludes the government is obliged by law and current policy arrangements to review the Mid-Murray Management Plan to take into account the latest data, review current logging licences and ensure any Wood Utilisation Plans are consistent with revised "sustainable yields''.

"It is clear that logging in these internationally significant wetlands is being done unsustainably and massive reductions need to be made, whether new National Parks are created or not,'' VNPA executive director Matt Ruchel said.

"River Red Gum wetland forests support the vast majority of threatened species in northern Victoria and many of these species are directly affected by current poor management and lack of national parks. This is a legal and moral requirement for the government to address demonstrable unsustainable harvesting.''

There are nearly 400 threatened and near-threatened plant and animal species clinging to life in the forests. Iconic animal species living there include the Barking Owl, Great Egret, Superb Parrot and Squirrel Glider.

Mr Ruchel called on the government to create incentives for investment in private agro-forestry in the region, which would provide new regional development opportunities and a range of biodiversity, greenhouse and land health benefits in the Mid-Murray's largely cleared catchments.

"These wetland forests are suffering from the worst drought on record and over-allocation - the last thing they need is to be logged unsustainably,'' Mr Ruchel said.

For interview

Nick Roberts, VNPA Red Gum Icons project coordinator, on 0429 945 429

Matt Ruchel, VNPA executive director, on 9341 6504 or 0418 357 813

Media contact: Daniel Clarke on 9341 8113 or 0407 771 072