NSW Crossbench Unite to End Native Forest Logging
The Minns Labor Government has received a letter from 5 key independent members of the NSW Parliament calling for an immediate halt to logging in the promised Great Koala National Park, and they have committed to exiting native forest logging in NSW entirely. The cross bench members in the Upper House from the Greens, Animal Justice Party and the Legalise Cannabis Party have also sent a letter today to the Premier, echoing the calls to exit native forest logging.
Greens MP and spokesperson for the environment Sue Higginson said “This letter is a display of the unity that exists in the NSW Parliament on the question of continued native forest logging in NSW. Liberal, Labor, Green and the majority of Members in the Parliament are ready to end the destruction of native forests by logging now, and we are collectively calling on Premier Chris Minns to act now,”
“The Minns Labor Government is in a minority position, and the same Independents that have guaranteed him confidence and supply are now telling him “it’s time” on the Great Koala National Park and native forest logging,”
“NSW Labor have taken the promise of a Great Koala National Park to 3 general elections over 8 years, and 20 months after winning minority Government in 2023 - but logging is still occurring in the best koala habitat in NSW, forests that are supposed to be a National Park. In fact logging has intensified within the Great Koala National Park since Labor came into power,”
“The environmental, economic and social evidence of the need to end native forest logging is overwhelming, and now the political support is palpable. We just need political leadership, the question now is will Chris Minns be the Premier who can and will lead this important outcome for all.”
“Chris Minns is now hearing this call from within his Party Room, from Independents that gave him Government, and from the entire progressive crossbench in the Upper House - it’s time to end native forest logging. It would be a mistake for him to disregard that strength of our unified voices, and it would be a tragedy for our native forests if he falters now,” Ms Higginson said.
Quotes attributable to Dailan Pugh, North East Forest Alliance:
“The completed environmental assessments prove that all 176,000 hectares of the proposed park deserve protection. They also show that there is direct conflict between the highest density koala habitat and the forests most sought by the loggers. It comes down to a choice between koalas and logging these areas,”
“The damage that is being caused is across the entire area of the public native forest estate that is subject to logging, and it must end. Ultimately, the further we allow logging to be concentrated, the greater damage is being done to the habitat of threatened species within those areas. We must end this now, once and for all,”
Quotes attributable to Doro Babeck, Bob Brown Foundation:
“The time to end native forest logging was about two years ago with Labor being elected on a promise to do better for the environment. The public is behind this, 7,000 people rallied across the nation two weeks ago for our forests. In NSW nearly 14,000 people signed our native forest declaration to end native forest logging. What is the Government waiting for?”
Quotes attributable to Alec Marr, Wilderness Australia:
“There are three steps required by the NSW Government to resolve the native forest issue. First is to stop logging in the Great Koala National Park. Second is to immediately cease all logging in all identified areas of endangered species habitat (including Gliders and Koalas). Third, implement a rapid exit from native forest logging in this Parliamentary term of Government,”