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2002 (c) Peninsula Community Access Newspaper Inc

 

Minister is given glass of woodchips

 

Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) member Mr Paul Burns of Woy Woy last week handed the Minister for Forestry, Mr Kim Yeadon, a glass of woodchips and asked him if he could drink it.

He was part on an ACF Central Coast Branch delegation at the Cabinet meeting in Gosford, on October 15, calling for an immediate halt to logging in the water catchment.

A theatrical tug-o-war between woodchips and water was enacted to highlight the message of water more precious than woodchips.

"We are in a water supply crisis here on the Central Coast," Mr Burns said.

"As a ratepayer, I am appalled at the continuation of logging in our catchment, despite the scientific evidence which points to the significant extra amount of water which would be available if the catchment was protected as an old growth forest.

"If the government is serious about representing the concerns of the Central Coast community in the upcoming State election, this must be their number one issue.

"Our peaceful actions were successful in putting the protection of our water catchments high on the Cabinet agenda.

"When at least one in every second tree cut down in the Watagans goes for woodchips, and over half of our catchment is available for logging, the message that I sent to Yeadon is clear - you can't drink woodchips."

Press release, October 16