Regional Forest Agreement Change is Alice in Wonderland Nonsense
Humpty Dumpty: When I use a word, it means just what I
choose it to mean - neither more nor less.
Alice: The question is, whether you can make words mean
so many different things.
Humpty Dumpty: The question is: which is to be master -
that’s all.
“The agreement by Prime Minister Howard and Tasmanian Premier Lennon to drop the pivotal clause which protects rare and endangered species is Alice in Wonderland-style nonsense, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.
“Justice Marshall ruled that the reserve system and management prescriptions used in the Wielangta forest do not protect the Tasmanian Wedge-tailed Eagle, Swift Parrot and Wielangta Stag Beetle.
“Mr Howard and Mr Lennon say that, without change to logging impacts, they can stare down this ruling by simply writing their contrary opinion into the Regional Forest Agreement. This will not prevail,” said Senator Brown.
Senator Brown said that regardless of the RFA change, logging in the 10,000ha Wielangta forest remains illegal. Neither will this hollow manoeuvre by Howard and Lennon change Australian or international laws which require the habitat of rare and endangered species to be protected.
“My lawyers will study the RFA changes in the coming weeks. I have no intention of backing away from challenging the Tasmanian woodchip industry’s threat to endangered species,” Senator Brown said.
Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement (RFA)
Amendments, February 2007
Clause RFA 1997 RFA 2007
68 The state agrees to protect the Priority Species listed in Attachment 2 (Part A) [federally listed threatened species] through the CAR [Comprehensive Adequate and Representative] Reserve System or by applying relevant management prescriptions. The Parties agree that the CAR Reserve System, established in accordance with this Agreement, and the application of management strategies and management prescriptions developed under Tasmania’s Forest Management Systems, protect rare and threatened fauna and flora species and Forest Communities.
70 The Parties agree that management prescriptions or actions identified in jointly prepared and agreed Recovery Plans or Threat Abatement Plans will be implemented as a matter of priority. The Parties agree that where a Recovery Plan for a forest-related species in Tasmania or a Threat Abatement Plan concerning a Priority Species…is in force, any recommended actions in the Recovery Plan or the Threat Abatement Plan that are within the jurisdiction of the parties will be carried out in accordance with the timelines specified in the relevant Plan. If an action has not been carried out in accordance with the timelines in the relevant Plan it will be carried out as soon as possible afterwards.
96 The State agrees that any changes to the Priority Species in Attachment 2 including new or altered management prescriptions developed over the term of the Agreement will:
(a) be adequate to maintain the species identified; The State agrees that any new or altered management prescriptions that are developed over the term of the Agreement for the Priority Species in Attachment 2, as
amended from time to time, will
(a) provide for the maintenance of the relevant species;
Two other changes to clause 97 and the definitions clarify issues concerning the maintenance of databases.
