Credit where it’s due
How could the BDN run the story “EPA raise concerns over Tantawangalo logging during ongoing investigation” (29/3) without giving any credit to the activists who did the initial hard work documenting the breaches, who risked prosecution entering logging sites to check on compliance and without whose work the EPA would never have taken any interest in the logging, let alone prosecute?
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Logging rules are weak and seldom enforced. Unlike other states, NSW law prohibits members of the public from prosecuting breaches. The only legal means of holding the industry to account is to persuade the EPA to investigate and prosecute.
In this state we have the bizarre situation where only one government agency can prosecute the other and when found guilty, the Forestry Corporation pays a small fine. What could be more ridiculous?
Worst of all, even if all the logging rules were strictly enforced, the logging would still be wrong.
Animals would still be killed and injured, soil would still be damaged and eroded, waterways would still be silted up, polluted and huge amounts of CO2 would still be released into the atmosphere.
For what? An annual multi-million-dollar loss for state taxpayers and cheap woodchips which could and should be sourced from plantations.
But that’s not news, I guess.
Harriett Swift, convener, Chipstop Campaign against Woodchipping
Hate-mongering shame
The smear campaigns go on and on.
This afternoon a young Sydney woman of Indian descent I know, got spat at, yelled at and racially abused. This is the result of the hate mongering.
Australian citizens are suffering from all the right-wing propaganda, Pauline Hanson's party and the discussion about Paragraph 18C.
I am not proud anymore, but very ashamed of Australia. So many small-minded, ignorant people, who don't care about others.
Our son just cooked a huge pot curry and we love food from all over the planet. Multiculturalism is wonderful.
We simply were lucky that we migrated from a country that was acceptable to white Australians, so we did not experience bullying as much as dark-skinned people.
Dörte Planert, Tathra
OBH roof necessary
Welcome beekeepers to the Old Bega Hospital site, home of the still roofless Bega Community and Cultural Centre.
Luckily the nurses' quarters and outbuildings have roofs, so some community activities can still occur.
Unfortunately the Bega Valley Spinners and Weavers had to cancel a “Come Try Day” organised for Bermagui U3A recently. Demonstrations and activities had been prepared around the skills of spinning, weaving using floor and hand looms, paper weaving, carding, felting, and dyeing.
Setting up these activities required more space than our group's small meeting room, so part of the verandah of the nurses' quarters and a gazebo protected grassed area would have served as long as the day was fine.
Unfortunately it has been raining all week – good for farmers, but not for activities, which, for want of a roof, have to be held outside.
At least the bees have a roof over their hive.
Our Premier and Prime Minister seem keen on strengthening regional areas. I just hope they realise the social value of a vibrant community centre as well as the need to maintain a regional heritage building.
The Old Bega Hospital ticks both of those boxes. But until the main building is re-roofed, we are limited in the community activities which can be organised.
