Labor's native forest policy enough to secure Greens' preferences
© 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
November 4, 2001
The Greens Senator, Bob Brown, says Labor's commitment to a moratorium on the burning of native forests to generate power is enough to secure its preferences.
Senator Brown hopes to announce a preference deal with Labor tomorrow.
The Greens say they are pleased with some of Labor's environment policy which also pledges to stop the Jabiluka uranium mine, ban new nuclear waste dumps and wind back land clearing in Australia.
Senator Brown has still only given Labor a C for Could do better, compared to the Coalition's F for Failed on environmental issues, saying he would have liked Labor to deal with the destruction of old growth forests.
But Senator Brown says Labor's promise of a moratorium on burning of native forests to generate power will win it support from the Greens.
"It will help to get preferences for Labor over the Liberal Party which of course is gung-ho about forest furnaces," he said.
The Labor Party has won Green preferences in nine of Queensland's marginal seats.
Greens Queensland Senate candidate Sarah Moles says the ALP has made some important concessions in key policy areas such as land clearing controls in the state.
But Green preferences have not been allocated in four other marginal seats, including Dickson which is currently held by embattled Labor frontbencher Cheryl Kernot.
The Federal Opposition leader, Kim Beazley, says Labor will try to stop a new nuclear reactor from being built in Sydney.
Mr Beazley has launched the Opposition's environment policy in Perth.
Mr Beazley says Labor believes it can stop the reactor from being built at Lucas Heights.
"There is a contract in place. It appears that things are being done so we'll be examing that contract," he said.
"We won't be producing a situation of sovereign risk, but if we can get out of it we will be getting out of it and we'll be looking to get out of that contract," he said.
The Australian Conservation Foundation has welcomed Labor's plan for the environment.
Its executive director, Don Henry, says while it delivers on key issues but more needs to be done to protect old growth forests.
"I must admit we're pleasantly surprised by this policy because it does range with strong initiatives across action on greenhouse, controlling land clearing which causes salinity protecting great natural areas such as committing to stop the Jabiluka mine in Kakadu with the one area of remaining substantial weakness being it needs to be stronger on forest conservation," he said.
Conservation Council
The Queensland Conservation Council (QCC) has labelled the ALP's environmental policy as probably the most significant document ever delivered by a major political party heading into an election.
The Opposition is promising to review the classification of native forests as a renewable energy source and has committed funding to establishing national standards on land clearing, including incentives for landholders.
The QCC's Felicity Wishart is particularly pleased with Labor's stand on land clearing.
"Because so much of the land clearing occurs in large applications of 1,000 hectares or more, we're very concerned that there isn't enough scrutiny at a state level," she said.
'By changing this trigger, the Federal Government will be able to scrutinise clearing permits more thoroughly than previously."