Greens Member for Melbourne Ellen Sandell
Suggestions that bushfire recovery workers undertaking roadside clearing for safety were somehow exploiting their role in an effort to gain additional timber have been labelled as a disgrace by the Shadow Assistant Minister for Forestry, Gary Blackwood. Source: Timberbiz
Mr Blackwood said the contribution in State Parliament by the Greens Member for Melbourne Ellen Sandell was disrespectful to frontline recovery workers in East Gippsland.
“The suggestion that contractors and forestry workers who are working every day in East Gippsland to clear roadsides of dangerous trees are exploiting their position is a disgrace,” Mr Blackwood said.
He said that if Ms Sandell thought she had anecdotal evidence of excessive numbers of trees being removed from roadsides she should make it public and provide that to the Department of Environment and Planning undertaking the assessment and review of dangerous trees, not attack those workers doing their job.
“Contractors and the Department who are out there assessing these sites are doing so as quickly and safely as possible and any suggestion they are clearing too many trees damaged by fire is absurd,’’ Mr Blackwood said.
“The Member for Melbourne also objected to the process of salvage harvesting of timber in the native forest areas heavily impacted by fire.
“Once again ignoring the evidence and learnings of previous fire events, such as Ash Wednesday 1983, that triggered salvage operations that stimulated excellent regeneration that has grown into high quality stands of timber that are also currently home to threatened species—funny that.
“Once again the Greens have proven they are completely driven by ideology and not what is best for the sustainability of our Native Forests,’’ Mr Blackwood said.
