2020-07-01
Still fighting native forest logging and expansion of irrigation, shocked by the disregard for Aboriginal heritage, promoting the Rights of Nature and celebrating the recovery of Tier 3 rail lines
By Hon. Diane Evers, MLC, Member for South West
As we embark on phase four easing of restrictions in Western Australia, so many major unprecedented factors at home and abroad continue to impact us on a daily basis. Western Australia is cautiously approaching a new normal and I wish everybody the best during this process. The reduction of emergency restrictions allows for a greater focus on community and environmental issues, which have not gone away during the first six months of 2020. I will continue doing all I can to represent the voices of the South West Region as we work towards a post-COVID recovery that rebuilds the future, beginning with an increase in my own safely managed visits through the region over the coming months.
The past two months have seen the fight against an unprofitable native logging regime continue, with two significant native forest flashpoints emerging in May. There was a positive outcome at Dalgarup forest, near Bridgetown, where two 11th-hour reprieves ‒ as a result of community action ‒ prevented a forest of recognised significance being lost to these same environmental vandals. In a win for direct action, Dalgarup Forest was ultimately observed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) to contain an unusually high number of ring-barked trees and was partly preserved as a silvicultural reference site. The site had previously been one of ongoing protest, as community vigilance and action prevented Forest Products Commission (FPC) contractors from levelling this jarrah forest. Sadly, many trees were already lost before DBCA’s decision, with only 10-12ha remaining by the time it was preserved.
Unfortunately, the serious issue of native logging in the South West was not limited to Dalgarup Forest, with the Treen Brook 12 forest coupe near Pemberton set upon by FPC contractors for clear-felling, resulting in the prospect of severe impact on the local environment and communities. Business owners, such as the Cernotta family who operate a nearby commercial beekeeping business and boutique accommodation venue, wrote to Forestry Minister Dave Kelly as far back as March to express how they would suffer first-hand due to the FPC's logging of South West native forests. The McGowan Government’s response to my questions in Parliament regarding quantification of financial loss raised by impacted businesses included the line that it "considered the employment impact on the associated harvest contractors and log customers".
The native forest sector makes up a quarter of WA's timber industry and this portion of the sector is not profitable. Instead of weighing the employment impact on contractors and customers up against catastrophic impacts on small, local businesses, these considerations would be best served towards ending native forest logging and transitioning those affected towards sustainable alternative industries. Subsequent concessions made in operations by FPC to local businesses were little more than a facade, obscuring the full environmental and economic harm of its operations.
Our forests provide so much value standing ‒ value for the economy, value for biodiversity and value for the planet. During a climate crisis that has been compounded by the COVID-19 crisis, tourism businesses and the small businesses that support regional centres need to be protected, all while ensuring we do more to retain what maturity we can in native forests that have seen over a century of destructive logging. Native logging has no future in Western Australia. We need to end native logging and abolish the FPC.
Another major – and ongoing – issue in our South West forests relates to water rights, with the unfair and inequitable Southern Forests Irrigation Scheme (SFIS) rearing its ugly head once more. My thoughts remain with this already-long and painful community fight to save the Donnelly River. The SFIS is a complex issue, but at its core is that local landowners are being subsidised by State and Federal funding comprising more than 85% of the total cost, despite scheme water being limited to just 70 landowners who make a financial contribution.
My office became aware of approved drill testing occurring for the water trading scheme in June, with significant community concern that these works were undertaken without the required hygiene controls to prevent the spread of dieback. I brought this matter to the attention of Environment Minister Stephen Dawson and the Regional Development Minister Allanah MacTiernan during parliament sitting weeks and called for the State Government to suspend such testing until the pending Environmental Protection Authority assessment is completed later this year. These current actions are akin to the previous government moving ahead with clearing land for Roe 8: unnecessary carnage for a road that was never built.
The sheer fact is that water will be taken from the Warren-Donnelly catchment and redistribute it through 250km of pipe to a few people who buy into the scheme. The planned dam on Record Brook will inundate 160ha of good native forest and the pipeline will clear another 145ha. The inequity of this scheme and the environmental damage is already causing community unrest. We need to ensure the public awareness and governmental pressure is increased. The SFIS must be stopped. We must not sell water from the Donnelly and protect the rights of catchment farmers.
In Rights of Nature news, I spoke with the RTRFM 92.1 'Understory' program in May to discuss the Australian-first Rights of Nature Bill I introduced to Parliament last year and the broader environmental legislation movement that's occurring worldwide. The Bill provides for Western Australia's remarkable natural environment to be given legal standing while also acknowledging our connection with and responsibility to future generations.
These environmental rights were further brought to the forefront of my mind in the past two months after the news of the wanton destruction of two 46,000-year-old culturally significant caves at Juukan Gorge. In June I stood with our First Nations people as they rallied outside the Perth offices of Rio Tinto. This multinational mining corporation inflicted a reckless and wanton catastrophe when it destroyed two deep-time rock shelters and caused great distress to the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people in WA’s north. This site was knowingly destroyed. Rio Tinto knew this site was of deep cultural significance and should have been protected – not blown up.
I support my WA Greens colleague Robin Chapple’s call for the prevention of further devastating destruction of First Nations People’s heritage in WA. Not a single Aboriginal Heritage Site has been protected since the early '90s and the people of Western Australia have lost scores of caves, artefacts and sacred spiritual places in that time. Robin subsequently moved in Parliament during June that we debate the failure in Australia ‒ including here in Western Australia ‒ to protect some of the world's oldest cultural heritage sites, despite efforts by traditional owners to prevent their loss.
WA must do more to legally and forcefully protect the heritage of our state. But if mining companies are recognised to have a legal personality, both our cultural heritage and our natural world should be afforded rights that redress the balance for legal action in the event of harm. Following on from my conversation on the Understorey program, the program spoke to Michelle Maloney from Australian Earth Laws Alliance about opportunities for a new Earth Law framework, with reflections on the tragedy at Juukan Gorge. To learn more, I would encourage you to visit the RTRFM 92.1 'Understory' to take a listen for yourself ‒ and you can go back and listen to my chat with the program to learn more about my Rights of Nature Bill and why our environment should be accorded the right to exist, flourish and be restored, for present and future generations of Western Australians. I will also be joining the US-based Center for Environmental Rights for a webinar about the Recent Developments on the Rights of Nature on the morning of Friday, 9th July.
As we close out this update, I’d like to focus on some good news over the past two months. One thing I’ve learned is that WA loves trains and I am pleased the McGowan Government is taking further steps to maintain its commitment to the recovery of Tier 3 rail lines. I have been a long-term campaigner for the re-establishment of freight on rail in regional Western Australia. I have worked with the Rail, Tram and Bus Union WA Branch (RBTUWA) as it campaigned to seek support from both state and federal governments to reopen Tier 3 rail lines in regional Western Australia. In May the RBTUWA successfully lobbied WA Labor’s state executive to call on the Government to commission an independent investigation of the economic and environmental impacts of Tier 3 line closures on the WA economy and its future development, with the directors of CBH Group later announcing that they too support the engineering assessment.
The RBTUWA, along with stakeholders such as the Wheatbelt Railway Retention Alliance, have done a fantastic job in helping to push the Government to match its words to action through the announcement of this assessment. The result is growing community, political and industry support. The time has come to restore the balance between investment in unnecessary and unsustainable road infrastructure and the longer term benefit of maximising use from existing rail networks.
The importance of protecting our mental health is so important and in May I was proud to support the regional offices of the national youth mental health foundation, headspace, by participating in The Push-Up Challenge! Across Australia, over $5m was raised to enable headspace to continue supporting young people to deal with the negative influences on their mental health. Given the intense events affecting us as a planet right now, young people need this support more than ever and I know the offices of headspace in Albany, Bunbury and Mandurah will continue to carry out this invaluable work.
Finally, my Regional Regeneration Facebook group continues to grow! At time of writing we are close to reaching 300 members, coming together to discuss ideas about how to drive positive change in regional WA. I’d really love to see this community continue to grow. If you haven’t yet joined, please feel welcome and invite your networks! This online community allows for an opportunity to share knowledge and keep the important discussions that affect regional communities – I do hope you’ll join us.
Header photo: Diane joins the protest against the destruction of ancient First Nations cultural heritage sites outside the Perth Headquarters of Rio Tinto on Tuesday, 9th June