❓ Mr Watson asks the Premier about the reservation of old-growth forests. Dr Gallop confirms the government's commitment to ending old-growth logging and criticises the opposition's stance on the issue.
AnsweredQoN 490Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
OLD-GROWTH FOREST, RESERVATION
I refer to the Premier’s weekend announcement that the Government has reserved all old-growth forest in this State. Can the Premier envisage any circumstances in which old-growth forest will again be logged in Western Australia? Dr GALLOP
I refer to the Premier’s weekend announcement that the Government has reserved all old-growth forest in this State. Can the Premier envisage any circumstances in which old-growth forest will again be logged in Western Australia? Dr GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
We announced our policy on the State’s old-growth forest during the election campaign. After we were elected, we put 99 per cent of the old-growth forest into reserves, and imposed a moratorium on the remaining one per cent until we determined whether we could meet the contracts entered into by the previous Government. We now know that we can meet those contracts without logging any of that old-growth forest. It was with real pride that the Minister for the Environment and Heritage and I announced on Sunday that this Government has ended the logging of old-growth forest in Western Australia. The entire 346 000 hectares of old-growth forest will go into reserves. The Australian Labor Party has done that, because it is looking to the future. One of the political parties in the federal election campaign is basing its entire strategy on a mythical past. It is trying to govern Australia by looking in the rear vision mirror. On the other side is a political party that is looking to the future and has a conservation ethic. We have put that conservation ethic into practice through our old-growth policy. I would have thought that this historic announcement would have been greeted favourably by all sectors of the political system in Western Australia. If the Labor Party is in government, we can guarantee that old-growth forests will not be logged again. However, if the Liberal Party is in government, we cannot give that guarantee. That is a clear difference in Western Australian politics today. The Leader of the National Party made some claims about this issue. His comments in the paper today were completely wrong. In a media statement released yesterday, he stated - Mr Trenorden said that last May the Gallop Government commissioned consulting group URS Forestry to report on the viability of the last one per cent of old growth forest still under a logging moratorium. The Leader of the National Party is wrong. URS Australia Pty Ltd, not URS Forestry, as the member referred to, was given a task of undertaking a review of three specific areas of community concern: the proposed 25 000 hectare expansion of Wellington National Park near Collie; Palmer and Leach blocks near Collie; and Helms block near Nannup. Local communities identified these areas as having special significance, and the Government agreed that further examination of these areas was warranted. The report had nothing to do with one per cent of old-growth forests that were put into a moratorium during the time of the election campaign. The Leader of the National Party got it wrong and the Leader of the Liberal Party is wrong if he thinks that the people of Western Australia will allow those old-growth forests in Western Australia to be logged again. They are going into reserves and national parks, and under the Labor Government that is where they will stay for future generations of Western Australians to enjoy.
Dr GALLOP replied: We announced our policy on the State’s old-growth forest during the election campaign. After we were elected, we put 99 per cent of the old-growth forest into reserves, and imposed a moratorium on the remaining one per cent until we determined whether we could meet the contracts entered into by the previous Government. We now know that we can meet those contracts without logging any of that old-growth forest. It was with real pride that the Minister for the Environment and Heritage and I announced on Sunday that this Government has ended the logging of old-growth forest in Western Australia. The entire 346 000 hectares of old-growth forest will go into reserves. The Australian Labor Party has done that, because it is looking to the future. One of the political parties in the federal election campaign is basing its entire strategy on a mythical past. It is trying to govern Australia by looking in the rear vision mirror. On the other side is a political party that is looking to the future and has a conservation ethic. We have put that conservation ethic into practice through our old-growth policy. I would have thought that this historic announcement would have been greeted favourably by all sectors of the political system in Western Australia. If the Labor Party is in government, we can guarantee that old-growth forests will not be logged again. However, if the Liberal Party is in government, we cannot give that guarantee. That is a clear difference in Western Australian politics today. The Leader of the National Party made some claims about this issue. His comments in the paper today were completely wrong. In a media statement released yesterday, he stated - Mr Trenorden said that last May the Gallop Government commissioned consulting group URS Forestry to report on the viability of the last one per cent of old growth forest still under a logging moratorium. The Leader of the National Party is wrong. URS Australia Pty Ltd, not URS Forestry, as the member referred to, was given a task of undertaking a review of three specific areas of community concern: the proposed 25 000 hectare expansion of Wellington National Park near Collie; Palmer and Leach blocks near Collie; and Helms block near Nannup. Local communities identified these areas as having special significance, and the Government agreed that further examination of these areas was warranted. The report had nothing to do with one per cent of old-growth forests that were put into a moratorium during the time of the election campaign. The Leader of the National Party got it wrong and the Leader of the Liberal Party is wrong if he thinks that the people of Western Australia will allow those old-growth forests in Western Australia to be logged again. They are going into reserves and national parks, and under the Labor Government that is where they will stay for future generations of Western Australians to enjoy.
We announced our policy on the State’s old-growth forest during the election campaign. After we were elected, we put 99 per cent of the old-growth forest into reserves, and imposed a moratorium on the remaining one per cent until we determined whether we could meet the contracts entered into by the previous Government. We now know that we can meet those contracts without logging any of that old-growth forest. It was with real pride that the Minister for the Environment and Heritage and I announced on Sunday that this Government has ended the logging of old-growth forest in Western Australia. The entire 346 000 hectares of old-growth forest will go into reserves. The Australian Labor Party has done that, because it is looking to the future. One of the political parties in the federal election campaign is basing its entire strategy on a mythical past. It is trying to govern Australia by looking in the rear vision mirror. On the other side is a political party that is looking to the future and has a conservation ethic. We have put that conservation ethic into practice through our old-growth policy. I would have thought that this historic announcement would have been greeted favourably by all sectors of the political system in Western Australia. If the Labor Party is in government, we can guarantee that old-growth forests will not be logged again. However, if the Liberal Party is in government, we cannot give that guarantee. That is a clear difference in Western Australian politics today. The Leader of the National Party made some claims about this issue. His comments in the paper today were completely wrong. In a media statement released yesterday, he stated - Mr Trenorden said that last May the Gallop Government commissioned consulting group URS Forestry to report on the viability of the last one per cent of old growth forest still under a logging moratorium. The Leader of the National Party is wrong. URS Australia Pty Ltd, not URS Forestry, as the member referred to, was given a task of undertaking a review of three specific areas of community concern: the proposed 25 000 hectare expansion of Wellington National Park near Collie; Palmer and Leach blocks near Collie; and Helms block near Nannup. Local communities identified these areas as having special significance, and the Government agreed that further examination of these areas was warranted. The report had nothing to do with one per cent of old-growth forests that were put into a moratorium during the time of the election campaign. The Leader of the National Party got it wrong and the Leader of the Liberal Party is wrong if he thinks that the people of Western Australia will allow those old-growth forests in Western Australia to be logged again. They are going into reserves and national parks, and under the Labor Government that is where they will stay for future generations of Western Australians to enjoy.
One of the political parties in the federal election campaign is basing its entire strategy on a mythical past. It is trying to govern Australia by looking in the rear vision mirror. On the other side is a political party that is looking to the future and has a conservation ethic. We have put that conservation ethic into practice through our old-growth policy. I would have thought that this historic announcement would have been greeted favourably by all sectors of the political system in Western Australia. If the Labor Party is in government, we can guarantee that old-growth forests will not be logged again. However, if the Liberal Party is in government, we cannot give that guarantee. That is a clear difference in Western Australian politics today. The Leader of the National Party made some claims about this issue. His comments in the paper today were completely wrong. In a media statement released yesterday, he stated - Mr Trenorden said that last May the Gallop Government commissioned consulting group URS Forestry to report on the viability of the last one per cent of old growth forest still under a logging moratorium. The Leader of the National Party is wrong. URS Australia Pty Ltd, not URS Forestry, as the member referred to, was given a task of undertaking a review of three specific areas of community concern: the proposed 25 000 hectare expansion of Wellington National Park near Collie; Palmer and Leach blocks near Collie; and Helms block near Nannup. Local communities identified these areas as having special significance, and the Government agreed that further examination of these areas was warranted. The report had nothing to do with one per cent of old-growth forests that were put into a moratorium during the time of the election campaign. The Leader of the National Party got it wrong and the Leader of the Liberal Party is wrong if he thinks that the people of Western Australia will allow those old-growth forests in Western Australia to be logged again. They are going into reserves and national parks, and under the Labor Government that is where they will stay for future generations of Western Australians to enjoy.
If the Labor Party is in government, we can guarantee that old-growth forests will not be logged again. However, if the Liberal Party is in government, we cannot give that guarantee. That is a clear difference in Western Australian politics today. The Leader of the National Party made some claims about this issue. His comments in the paper today were completely wrong. In a media statement released yesterday, he stated - Mr Trenorden said that last May the Gallop Government commissioned consulting group URS Forestry to report on the viability of the last one per cent of old growth forest still under a logging moratorium. The Leader of the National Party is wrong. URS Australia Pty Ltd, not URS Forestry, as the member referred to, was given a task of undertaking a review of three specific areas of community concern: the proposed 25 000 hectare expansion of Wellington National Park near Collie; Palmer and Leach blocks near Collie; and Helms block near Nannup. Local communities identified these areas as having special significance, and the Government agreed that further examination of these areas was warranted. The report had nothing to do with one per cent of old-growth forests that were put into a moratorium during the time of the election campaign. The Leader of the National Party got it wrong and the Leader of the Liberal Party is wrong if he thinks that the people of Western Australia will allow those old-growth forests in Western Australia to be logged again. They are going into reserves and national parks, and under the Labor Government that is where they will stay for future generations of Western Australians to enjoy.
Dr GALLOP replied: We announced our policy on the State’s old-growth forest during the election campaign. After we were elected, we put 99 per cent of the old-growth forest into reserves, and imposed a moratorium on the remaining one per cent until we determined whether we could meet the contracts entered into by the previous Government. We now know that we can meet those contracts without logging any of that old-growth forest. It was with real pride that the Minister for the Environment and Heritage and I announced on Sunday that this Government has ended the logging of old-growth forest in Western Australia. The entire 346 000 hectares of old-growth forest will go into reserves. The Australian Labor Party has done that, because it is looking to the future. One of the political parties in the federal election campaign is basing its entire strategy on a mythical past. It is trying to govern Australia by looking in the rear vision mirror. On the other side is a political party that is looking to the future and has a conservation ethic. We have put that conservation ethic into practice through our old-growth policy. I would have thought that this historic announcement would have been greeted favourably by all sectors of the political system in Western Australia. If the Labor Party is in government, we can guarantee that old-growth forests will not be logged again. However, if the Liberal Party is in government, we cannot give that guarantee. That is a clear difference in Western Australian politics today. The Leader of the National Party made some claims about this issue. His comments in the paper today were completely wrong. In a media statement released yesterday, he stated - Mr Trenorden said that last May the Gallop Government commissioned consulting group URS Forestry to report on the viability of the last one per cent of old growth forest still under a logging moratorium. The Leader of the National Party is wrong. URS Australia Pty Ltd, not URS Forestry, as the member referred to, was given a task of undertaking a review of three specific areas of community concern: the proposed 25 000 hectare expansion of Wellington National Park near Collie; Palmer and Leach blocks near Collie; and Helms block near Nannup. Local communities identified these areas as having special significance, and the Government agreed that further examination of these areas was warranted. The report had nothing to do with one per cent of old-growth forests that were put into a moratorium during the time of the election campaign. The Leader of the National Party got it wrong and the Leader of the Liberal Party is wrong if he thinks that the people of Western Australia will allow those old-growth forests in Western Australia to be logged again. They are going into reserves and national parks, and under the Labor Government that is where they will stay for future generations of Western Australians to enjoy.
We announced our policy on the State’s old-growth forest during the election campaign. After we were elected, we put 99 per cent of the old-growth forest into reserves, and imposed a moratorium on the remaining one per cent until we determined whether we could meet the contracts entered into by the previous Government. We now know that we can meet those contracts without logging any of that old-growth forest. It was with real pride that the Minister for the Environment and Heritage and I announced on Sunday that this Government has ended the logging of old-growth forest in Western Australia. The entire 346 000 hectares of old-growth forest will go into reserves. The Australian Labor Party has done that, because it is looking to the future. One of the political parties in the federal election campaign is basing its entire strategy on a mythical past. It is trying to govern Australia by looking in the rear vision mirror. On the other side is a political party that is looking to the future and has a conservation ethic. We have put that conservation ethic into practice through our old-growth policy. I would have thought that this historic announcement would have been greeted favourably by all sectors of the political system in Western Australia. If the Labor Party is in government, we can guarantee that old-growth forests will not be logged again. However, if the Liberal Party is in government, we cannot give that guarantee. That is a clear difference in Western Australian politics today. The Leader of the National Party made some claims about this issue. His comments in the paper today were completely wrong. In a media statement released yesterday, he stated - Mr Trenorden said that last May the Gallop Government commissioned consulting group URS Forestry to report on the viability of the last one per cent of old growth forest still under a logging moratorium. The Leader of the National Party is wrong. URS Australia Pty Ltd, not URS Forestry, as the member referred to, was given a task of undertaking a review of three specific areas of community concern: the proposed 25 000 hectare expansion of Wellington National Park near Collie; Palmer and Leach blocks near Collie; and Helms block near Nannup. Local communities identified these areas as having special significance, and the Government agreed that further examination of these areas was warranted. The report had nothing to do with one per cent of old-growth forests that were put into a moratorium during the time of the election campaign. The Leader of the National Party got it wrong and the Leader of the Liberal Party is wrong if he thinks that the people of Western Australia will allow those old-growth forests in Western Australia to be logged again. They are going into reserves and national parks, and under the Labor Government that is where they will stay for future generations of Western Australians to enjoy.
One of the political parties in the federal election campaign is basing its entire strategy on a mythical past. It is trying to govern Australia by looking in the rear vision mirror. On the other side is a political party that is looking to the future and has a conservation ethic. We have put that conservation ethic into practice through our old-growth policy. I would have thought that this historic announcement would have been greeted favourably by all sectors of the political system in Western Australia. If the Labor Party is in government, we can guarantee that old-growth forests will not be logged again. However, if the Liberal Party is in government, we cannot give that guarantee. That is a clear difference in Western Australian politics today. The Leader of the National Party made some claims about this issue. His comments in the paper today were completely wrong. In a media statement released yesterday, he stated - Mr Trenorden said that last May the Gallop Government commissioned consulting group URS Forestry to report on the viability of the last one per cent of old growth forest still under a logging moratorium. The Leader of the National Party is wrong. URS Australia Pty Ltd, not URS Forestry, as the member referred to, was given a task of undertaking a review of three specific areas of community concern: the proposed 25 000 hectare expansion of Wellington National Park near Collie; Palmer and Leach blocks near Collie; and Helms block near Nannup. Local communities identified these areas as having special significance, and the Government agreed that further examination of these areas was warranted. The report had nothing to do with one per cent of old-growth forests that were put into a moratorium during the time of the election campaign. The Leader of the National Party got it wrong and the Leader of the Liberal Party is wrong if he thinks that the people of Western Australia will allow those old-growth forests in Western Australia to be logged again. They are going into reserves and national parks, and under the Labor Government that is where they will stay for future generations of Western Australians to enjoy.
If the Labor Party is in government, we can guarantee that old-growth forests will not be logged again. However, if the Liberal Party is in government, we cannot give that guarantee. That is a clear difference in Western Australian politics today. The Leader of the National Party made some claims about this issue. His comments in the paper today were completely wrong. In a media statement released yesterday, he stated - Mr Trenorden said that last May the Gallop Government commissioned consulting group URS Forestry to report on the viability of the last one per cent of old growth forest still under a logging moratorium. The Leader of the National Party is wrong. URS Australia Pty Ltd, not URS Forestry, as the member referred to, was given a task of undertaking a review of three specific areas of community concern: the proposed 25 000 hectare expansion of Wellington National Park near Collie; Palmer and Leach blocks near Collie; and Helms block near Nannup. Local communities identified these areas as having special significance, and the Government agreed that further examination of these areas was warranted. The report had nothing to do with one per cent of old-growth forests that were put into a moratorium during the time of the election campaign. The Leader of the National Party got it wrong and the Leader of the Liberal Party is wrong if he thinks that the people of Western Australia will allow those old-growth forests in Western Australia to be logged again. They are going into reserves and national parks, and under the Labor Government that is where they will stay for future generations of Western Australians to enjoy.
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