9 April 2025

ALAN HAYES

 

PETER DUTTON'S so-called forest policy is a blank cheque for the continued destruction of Australia’s native forests - including those on the Central Coast - and is a policy that is a desperate attempt to prop up an industry that’s failed economically and environmentally.

 

Donald Trump has taken an axe to forest protections in the U.S., signing off on two executive orders that aim to strip away foundational checks on destructive logging.

 

Under the pretense of national security, the Mad King's orders aim to gut environmental safeguards and fast-track industrial clear-cutting in some of the U.S.’s most precious and climate-critical forests. This aggressive expansion will degrade irreplaceable forests like Alaska’s Tongass national forest – one of the world’s largest intact temperate rainforests. It will also increase carbon emissions and make communities more vulnerable to climate disasters.

 

Not to be outdone, in a desperate bid to win votes, although it will more than likely have the opposite effect, Peter Dutton is aping Donald Trump’s wish to end all restrictions on the plunder of nature, against the feelings of voters. Dutton is as in-tune with voters as a chainsaw in a rainforest.

 

According to the Australia Institute, there is majority support for ending native forest logging on public land across Australia from all major voting intentions, with highest level of support from Labor voters (79%), followed by Greens voters (76%), Coalition voters (62%), One Nation voters (61%) and Independent/Other voters (57%).

 

Greens Forests' Spokesperson, Senator Nick McKim said, “The Coalition’s announcement that they will put in place permanent timer production zones in native forests around Australia shows both major parties remain tied to an outdated industry that’s lost its social licence due to environmental and climate impacts.

 

“Native forest logging is not viable financially or environmentally. It’s propped up by taxpayer subsidies, pumps out millions of tonnes of emissions, drives species towards extinction and destroys some of the most carbon-dense forests on the planet.

 

“Markets have moved on. The future lies in plantations and large scale rewilding and ecological restoration, not logging old growth forests.”

 

Peter Dutton said that a Coalition government will not support additional bans on native forestry and will remove all public funding from the controversial Environmental Defenders Office.

 

“A Dutton Government will not support any further bans on native forestry,” the Opposition Leader said.

 

Dutton made it clear that the rights of Australians - those who care about the environment and the future of our planet would be down-trodden under a dictatorial jackboot. He said that by "removing public funding from the Environmental Defenders Office", we will crack down on hollow activist law-fare.

 

These are just some of the 'big-end-of-town' pandering policies released by the Coalition opposition less than two weeks before the Australian Federal Election.

 

Peter Dutton has vowed to establish permanent timber production zones to support native timber and to invest $40 million into a new Timber Manufacturing Program - all at the expense of the environment, but not his 'big-end-of-town' mates.

 

The commitment comes days after the Australian supply chain for forest products challenged Prime Minister Albanese and Dutton to support the country’s hardwood industry.

 

Senator Nick McKim said that the Regional Forest Agreements have shielded this destruction from national environment laws for decades. "That exemption must end,” he said.

 

“The industry has had every opportunity to reform and has failed. Forestry agencies have missed environmental certification targets, racked up massive financial losses, and relied on public handouts to keep going.

 

“Australians overwhelmingly want native forests protected. They want action on climate and environment, and a shift to jobs that care for the land, not clear-fell it.”

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