By Francesca Davis
On September 1, the federal government decided to withdraw from the forest assessment process for north-east NSW. The assessments are the basis for 20-year regional forest agreements between governments, the timber industry and environmentalists.
Rural communities keen to see consideration of social and economic factors included in the assessments will have to rely on social and economic data collected by the state government.
The federal government said it was withdrawing due to the early election. It has, however, been dragging its feet for some time and has refused to meet its obligations to provide software, equipment and social and economic data for the process.
According to Steven Ryan, forest campaigner for the Wilderness Society, "Howard and his timber minister have again shown their true colours ... This is further evidence that the Howard regional forest agreements cannot deliver sustainable outcomes."
With the withdrawal of the federal government, activists' hopes that a good decision can be reached on the Eden forests on NSW's south coast have increased.
The Howard government has used every delaying tactic it can to prevent a peace deal, said Noel Plumb, executive officer of the National Parks Association.
The state Labor government now has responsibility for the assessments and is under pressure from conservationists and the timber industry to decide, by the end of this year, on the future use of the forests.
The NSW government is pinning its environmental credentials in the next state election on delivering the fair deal for forests that premier Bob Carr promised during the last state election.