Today’s announcement of Great Koala National Park has shown that Minister Sharpe values politics above science and people, particularly in her dealings with regional and rural communities in NSW. That is according to Timber NSW CEO Maree McCaskill, “Our members are disappointed but not surprised at the total disregard for not only the science but the livelihoods of people in country areas.”
“While Minister Sharpe has refused to even acknowledge basic information about Koala populations from her Department and CSIRO research, she has quite miraculously scored an own goal by putting another barrier in place to restrict the availability of timber to help solve the NSW housing crisis.”
“A sickening by-product of this decision is that by further restricting sustainable native forestry in NSW, even more pressure will be applied to the forests of Indonesia, Malaysia and PNG, where the merbau tree (Intsia bijuga) is classified as a “vulnerable” species, and where deforestation is a significant concern. We are already importing over $6B worth of timber now.”
“While this NSW Government has delivered a stiff-arm fend off to communities in the Northern part of NSW, it’s important that the people whose livelihoods and futures are now at jeopardy be treated with some dignity.”
“It’s important to understand that the Sydney-centric Labour Government holds only one seat north of Port Stephens and none west of the Blue Mountains, and this was central to their decision-making process.”
“Minister Sharpe has had her political win, but we’re now calling on Premier Minns to show some compassion by making sure what is left of the industry is sustainable, diverse and equitable. For example, extending the Wood Supply Agreements past the expiry in 2028 so they can invest in new machinery, processing equipment and encourage investment in hardwood plantations.”
“Timber NSW will work with representatives of the Timber, Furnishing & Textiles Union and the AWU to encourage the government to limit the economic and personal damage to individuals in the northern part of NSW flowing from this announcement of another new park.”
Please note: Wood Central has published Timber NSW’s response to the Great Koala National Park in full. For more information about the Park, click here for Wood Central’s exclusive coverage.
