1500 rally for the forests
By Stephen Robson
PERTH — Undeterred by driving rain, 1500 people attended the Gathering for the Forest in Forrest Place on August 9. The rally called on the federal government to stop woodchipping in old growth forests. Timed to coincide with a federal cabinet meeting in Perth, the action marks a new stage in the campaign, following the successful July 1-30 south west forest blockade.
Chaired by James Duggie from the Wilderness Society, the speakers included: Yvonne Henderson, the state shadow minister for the environment; Greens (WA) senator, Christabel Chamarette; Murray Johnston from the south west tourist industry; 72-year-old blockader Elaine Michael from the south west town of Bridgetown; Dame Rachel Cleland; and Jacquie Svenson, forest campaign coordinator for the Wilderness Society in WA.
Well known WA singer/songwriter and former Liberal Party candidate Kelly Newton-Wordsworth sang her own composition which was specifically written for the recent forest blockade.
Henderson drew attention to the former Lawrence Labor government's commitment to phase out woodchipping by the year 2000. Senator Chamarette, challenging the prevailing images in the media, pointed to the numbers of people attending the rally from country regions: "There are those on the Lockhart block who are still blockading for their precious area of national estate forests and negotiating with the timber companies in a peaceful non-violent way". Chamarette noted that the federal government is in danger of being in breach of international laws that protect endangered species.
Just before the procession departed in single file to the Esplanade, Senator John Faulkner, who had spoken briefly, was presented with hundreds of letters demanding a moratorium on the woodchipping.