The Central Highlands Regional Forest Agreement signed today by Prime Minister Howard and Victorian Jeff Kennett, like its predecessors in East Gippsland and Tasmania, is a conservation sham.

"The claimed 116 000 hectares of new reserves is almost entirely scraps and strips that would have been protected anyway by management prescriptions.

"This RFA, like its predecessors, is a flimsy cover for handing control of Victoria"s magnificent ash forests to the logging industry.

"But if the Prime Minister Howard and Premier Kennett think that they have pushed forests off the agenda, they need only look at East Gippsland and Tasmania to see that their promised 20 years of "certainty and security" for the industry looks nothing less than ridiculous", said Senator Brown.

In East Gippsland, the whole industry is under a cloud after the Moe Magistrate dismissed forest protest charges against Senator Brown, because he doubted that logging (along the Goolengook Heritage River) was lawful. Senator Brown was awarded costs of $35 000, and protests are continuing.

In Tasmania, blockades are continuing at Mother Cummings, with arrests and costs mounting. 1000 people attended a forest protests picnic there last weekend.

"The $100 million or more that is being spent on this RFA process is an outrageous waste for an outcome that settles nothing", said Senator Brown.

On Sunday 29 March, Senator Brown will release legal advice that casts doubt on the validity of the Tasmania Regional Forest Agreement, and by extension the East Gippsland and Central Highlands RFAs also.

More information

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* "To make one RFA -- Sift available information carefully, water down scientific recommendations, add large cup of public money, a hint of public consultation, mix in essence of buzz-word, season with the merest pinch of artificial green colouring. Boil together until all logic has evaporated, beat until light and fluffy and garnish with the promise of jobs". From An illustrated guide to the Regional Forest Agreement -- or are we getting Sweet RFA", Concerned Residents of East Gippsland, Feb. 1998.