In a recent media release, Luke Foley MLC, Shadow Minister
for the Environment, stated that logging in NSW National Parks was "on the
cards" after a NSW parliamentary budgets estimate hearing.
During the hearing the NSW Minister for the Environment,
Robyn Parker MP, refused to rule out logging in National Parks – an activity
which is completely inappropriate in areas established for biodiversity
conservation.
The current NSW Liberal-National Party Government has shown,
in its 18 months in government, scant interest in protecting the environment.
Some months ago the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, announced the
government would allow recreational hunting in 79 National Parks and Nature Reserves
as part of a deal with the Shooters Party to secure their votes in the upper
house for electricity privatisation.
Since then it has become apparent that the Shooters are
expecting access to much more than the original 79 areas promised them. Furthermore, these hunters are expecting that
the procedures for hunting in National Parks will follow the same lines as
those governing recreational hunting in State Forests. This is a slack system which will not work in
National Parks. Aside from the safety
issues – for both human users of parks as well as the fauna that is supposed to
be protected in these areas – there are a number of other issues. These include the "locking up" of
parks so that hunters can enjoy their blood sport and unlikelihood that their
culling of pest species will have any real impact on feral species numbers.
And then there's the Government's attitude to coal seam gas
mining and its trumpeted measures – balanced measures according to the Minister
for Planning - to "protect" the community and the
environment from any problems caused by this industry. The simple fact is the Government is in
thrall to this industry and is ignoring the long-term economic and environmental
impacts it will have on the citizens of this state – long after the quick-quid
miners have left with their spoils. All
the vaunted protective measures are nothing but hollow spin.
Now, back to Robyn Parker's performance at the recent
estimates hearing. Luke Foley claims
that she has learnt nothing in the last twelve months. This is incorrect. Many months ago she roundly ridiculed someone
who claimed the Government would allow recreational hunters into National
Parks. She was proved wrong there. She has learnt from this and obviously does
not want to be made to look a fool again in case the Premier, that champion of
the natural environment, decides to allow logging in National Parks.
