The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) annual report shows it has substantially increased the number of senior executives in its ranks while cutting vital field staff over the past financial year. Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, said “at a time when an enormous amount of work still needs to be done…
A decision by Justice Richards in the Supreme Court yesterday has delivered a shocking Christmas blow to timber industry workers in East Gippsland. After years of inaction by the Andrews Labor Government to support the native timber industry, yesterday’s determination shuts down the majority of timber harvesting not only in East Gippsland, but the…
Timber workers in East Gippsland and the Central Highlands are devastated with the news the native timber industry is effectively being shut down on the eve of Christmas in Victoria. Today in the Supreme Court, Justice Richards granted an order to stop native timber harvesting in the Central Highlands and East Gippsland. The court order…
The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) has substantially increased the number of senior executives in their ranks while cutting vital field staff over the last financial year. Senior DELWLP officials were unable to fully explain a loss of 133 full time equivalent field staff across the financial year when questioned recently…
The Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath has labelled the Andrews Government’s latest Forestry Plan announcement a farcical con, saying it’s as useful to workers and industry as a two-legged chair. Last week the Andrews Government announced it would spend $100 million on “opt out packages” and “innovation vouchers” for businesses reliant…
As dwindling timber supply puts a handbrake on home building and makes it harder to transport goods around the nation, the Andrews Labor Government has today announced it will spend more money shutting down Victoria’s sustainable, legitimate native timber industry. Agriculture Minister Mary-Anne Thomas will further worsen the timber shortage with today’s pledge of $100…
The Victorian Liberals and Nationals vehemently oppose a plan from Labor and greens groups to introduce dingoes into state and national parks in Victoria. A parliamentary inquiry into Victorian ecosystems has recommended the Andrews Labor Government trial the reintroduction of dingoes as an apex predator in Victorian parks. The plan has generated significant concern among…
The Andrews Labor Government has secretly instituted a planning change that will make life even more difficult for wind farm neighbours trying to build on their own properties. The Government’s change to Victorian planning provisions under amendment VC212 means that neighbours of a windfarm can no longer build a house, bed and breakfast, worker…
A new report on ecosystem decline in Victoria has recommended the introduction of Indigenous ‘cool burn’ techniques and to abandon the Andrews Government’s 2030 ban on native timber harvesting. The recommendations were made following a two-year parliamentary inquiry investigating Victoria’s ecosystems and the threats and challenges to the habitat’s health and sustainability into the future.…
The supply of food in Victoria is under threat with timber mills set to run out of supply to produce wooden pallets needed to transport of food and drink for Christmas. The Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath said Labor’s war on the native timber industry is now restricting the distribution of food,…
The Nationals Member for Gippsland South, Danny O’Brien, has called on the Andrews Labor Government to reset its environmental priorities after it was revealed field staff in the environment department were cut while office-based staff increased dramatically. Speaking after raising questions at last week’s Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) hearings, Mr O’Brien said the…
A Parliamentary Inquiry into the Health Impacts of Air Pollution has recommended the Andrews Government conduct an independent Environmental Effects Statement (EES) into Chunxing Corporations Used Lead Acid Battery (ULAB) secondary smelter proposed for Latrobe Valley. The Andrews Government allowed Chunxing Corporation to self-assess its environmental impacts, despite the ULAB project attracting significant opposition from…