Bundarrah Days

To say that local communities are disappointed that the Victorian Environment Assessment Council is recommending four new National Parks in the river red gum forests would be an understatement, GISFUG spokeswoman, Audrey Dickins said today.

"We're facing the same tired old scenario of public land being locked up and mismanaged with excessive input from interfering city based green groups along with an appalling lack of management and financial resources from government," she said.

"GISFUG is concerned that the VEAC recommendations will ultimately bring about the demise of the forests we are trying to save."

Mrs Dickins said that VEAC had failed to listen to local people, to apprehend local knowledge, and had ignored a golden opportunity to work with people who rely on the land and who wished to rebuild a living working healthy forest that would be sustainable for future generations.

The VEAC recommendations, if adopted would cause a lot of stress in local communities, she said.

"It is no secret that the Red gum forests have been under great stress because of drought conditions.

"VEAC has calculated that 4000 GL of water is needed every five years during spring floods to save the trees yet the state government has announced a decision for a pipeline to take water out of the system which will go to Melbourne. It's worse than illogical - it's insane.

"There has been no thought about the damage a pipeline over the Great Divide to Melbourne will do to our environment. Does this government really care or is this just another win for Melbourne's greens?"

Mrs Dickins said that GISFUG was totally opposed to plans pipe water to Melbourne.

"Water should not be taken from Victoria's food bowl district and lost to the River Red gum and Box Wood forests.

"I urge everyone that will be affected by the VEAC recommendations or the proposed pipeline to unite and lobby against these two proposals.

"We will be targeting Labor MP's and candidates at future elections to ensure they understand there is a political cost in ignoring the concerns of
rural people."