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Media Releases
Govt study trashes Minister's claims on new red gum parks 10/5/2010
A new study commissioned by the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water on regional economic impacts of national parks in the Riverina, confirms community fears that proposed new parks will lead to a severe decline in the regional economy.
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ACF water buyback admirable but futile 16/3/2010
Yesterday the Australian Conservation Foundation launched an admirable scheme to secure 200 mega litres of water for wetlands along the Murray River after dismay at slow government action on water allocations for the environment.
“This action by the ACF, while worthy and solution focussed is ultimately rather futile” said the chairman of the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance, Peter Newman.
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Minister fails on NRC recommendations 8/3/2010
Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, Frank Sartor has comprehensively failed to deliver on the Natural Resources Commission recommendations for the Riverina red gum forests.
In stating the stressed forests were suffering from river regulation, over allocation and drought, he has reduced the major NRC recommendation of an additional 1200 GL of water for the forests to just 265 GL, while claiming to adopt the key recommendations.
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Environment groups silent on stolen water 2/12/09
The Victorian government has stolen the first environmental water allocation saved from the Wimmera " Mallee pipeline promised to the new red gum national parks along the Goulburn and Murray rivers, without comment from environment groups
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DSE refuse independent ecological audit of burn 6/11/09
Calls for an independent ecological audit into the disastrous 2008 Browns Camp burn in the Barmah forest following the release of a report yesterday on the burn by University of Melbourne professor Peter Attiwill were refused by Department of Sustainability and Environment Land and Fire Manager Peter Farrell.
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Burn report disputes ministers claims 4/11/09
A report to be released tomorrow shows claims by the Environment Minister, Gavin Jennings that only 12 habitat trees were destroyed in a prescribed burn in the Barmah forest are false.
The report, written by prominent forest ecologist Professor Peter Attiwill AM shows that 80 red gum trees were destroyed by the 25 hectare burn and the report provides the GPS locations of those trees.
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Government Steals Red Gum Forest Water 21/9/09
After first denying it was happening, Water Minister Tim Holding admits that 12,000 megalitres of environmental water saved from the Wimmera Mallee pipeline and eartagged for Red Gum Forests was going to end up in Melbourne.
"This is hypocrisy of the worst kind' says Peter Newman, Chairman of the Rivers and Red Gum Envirnomental Alliance.
Read more.......
$10K Challenge to Environment Minister 24/8/09
Following rejection by the Environment Minister, Gavin Jennings of calls for an independent audit of the botched Browns Camp prescribed burn in the Barmah State Forest last October, chairman of the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance, Peter Newman challenged the minister to back his claims or donate $10,000 to charity.
Read more here...
Alliance hosts Natural Resources Commission tour 20/08/09
The Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance will host the Natural Resources Commissioner, Dr John Williams and his team on a tour of river red gum forests tomorrow to demonstrate the benefits of active forest management over passive management such as occurs in national parks.
Read more here...
Alliance supports Weller in call for burn audit 31/07/09
The Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance supported the call by Member for Rodney, Paul Weller for an independent audit of a Parks Victoria burn in a superb parrot nesting site in Barmah forest that destroyed dozens of habitat trees.
Read more here...
Government continues to mislead over red gum forests 02/07/09
Murray River communities are incensed that the government continues to blame the timber industry for the decline of red gum forests “following the Brumby government’s decision to protect iconic areas along the Murray River”. Read more here...
Delay new parks until fire management is right 25/6/09
A campaign to inform Premier Brumby of ordinary Victorians dismay at public land management decisions came to a peak this week with the posting of nearly 3000 individually signed postcards addressed to the Premier.
“Our campaign for proper fire and land management in the Barmah forest will not end with the implementation of new national parks in red gum forests” said Peter Newman, chairman of the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance.
Read more here...
Protestors removed from forest 11/06/09
Illegal forest protestors were removed from the Millewa State Forest by police yesterday in an operation supported by Riverina communities and the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance.
Approximately 20 protestors had chained timber harvesting equipment and brought the operations of local contractors to a halt for over a week. Read more here...
Parrot numbers up while jobs are going down 26/5/09
Timber harvesting in the red gum forests of NSW that has been approved by the National Parks and Wildlife Service under Section 120 of the National Parks Act hangs in the balance because of a premature order issued by federal environment minister, Peter Garrett. Read more here...
Another govt study supports grazing in the Barmah forest 21/4/09
A report written for Parks Victoria and the Department of Sustainability and Environment in 2007 supporting grazing in the Barmah forest was handed to the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance on the weekend. Read more here...
FOI release shows fuel reduction was never considered for Barmah 15/4/09
Information released under Freedom of Information law to the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance has confirmed suspicions that no serious consideration was ever given to reducing fuel loads in the Barmah forest. Read more here.......
No Fuel No Fire Campaign Launch at Barmah 6/4/09
Local parliamentarian and supporter of the campaign to reduce fuel loads on public land, Paul Weller will launch the local No Fuel No Fire campaign at Barmah on Tuesday April 7th at 10.30am. Read more here...
Call to let Kinglake cattle graze Barmah Forest 15/2/09
The Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance, the Barmah community and the Barmah Cattlemen’s Association today called on the government to allow cattle from fire affected properties graze on the lush feed in the Barmah forest. Read more here...
Victorians duped under new parks plan 6/1/09
Thousands of hectares of red gum forests are dead and dying now in the Murray Sunset and Hattah-Kulkyne National Parks on the Murray River. These forests in national parks were identified in a DSE funded study• in 2007 as being in the ‘worst condition of forests’ along the Murray, despite their ‘protected’ status for 20 and 48 years respectively. Read more here...
Govt sells out river communities 30/12/08
“The government is embracing a failed land management model by adopting even more national parks” said Peter Newman, chairman of the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance. Read more here...
Cattle still in the forest 19/12/08
“Media reports that DSE have removed cattle from the Barmah forest are incorrect” said Peter Newman, chairman of the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance. Read more here....
Confrontation in the Barmah forest 18/12/08
Police and DSE compliance officers on horseback and motorbikes arrived in the Barmah forest at first light this morning to remove cattle released by the Barmah community. Read more here...
Tempers fray as community protects its own 1/12/08
The Barmah community today took responsibility for the serious fire risk in the Barmah forest by driving cattle into the forest this morning to remove the chest high grass along the river that threatens the township. Read more here...
Community defies grazing ban to reduce fire risk 28/11/08
The Barmah community, which includes members of the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance, have decided to drive cattle into Barmah Island on Monday December 1st to reduce the high fire risk to the town, in defiance of a DSE decision to not allow short term controlled grazing in the forest. Read more here...
Barmah Island a fire trap say locals
Attempts to manage dangerous fuel loads of chest high introduced grass species in Barmah forest by cattle grazing have been quashed by DSE. Read more here...
Protest meeting over high fire risk 16/11/08
Residents of the small Murray River township of Barmah and adjoining landholders will join with the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance to protest over the decision by DSE not to manage high fire risk on Barmah Island adjacent to the township. Read more here...
Alliance charters plane to inspect fire damage 19/10/08
Following the closure of the forest area burnt in Thursday’s disastrous prescribed burn in Barmah State Park by DSE, the Alliance chartered a light plane to fly over the forest and inspect the damage to habitat trees. Read more here...
Park burn a disgrace 17/10/08
A fuel reduction burn in the Barmah State Park yesterday was labelled a disgrace by the chairman of the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance, Peter Newman. Read more here...
Rural anger on the street 5/10/08
A 2000 strong crowd descended on Echuca today in a display of widespread community anger at the implications of the disastrous VEAC recommendations for Murray River red gum forests. Read more here...
Rural Anger in Northern Victoria 2/10/08
The Victorian Environment Assessment Council [VEAC] recommendations for more National Parks along the Murray River have incited the community’s anger over further restrictive land use that will have adverse impacts on communities and public land users.
Restrictions on campfires, dogs, overnight camping with horses, access for boat launching as well as bans on cattle grazing and timber harvesting have visitors and locals up in arms. Read more here...
Alliance to launch Conservation&Community Plan in Parliament 29/07/08
The Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance, a community and user group representing 107,000 people, will launch a comprehensive report on future land management in the red gum forests of the Murray River on Thursday July 31st. Read more here...
Alliance slams VEAC Final Report 28/07/08
“The report on the River Red Gum Forests Investigation released on Friday by the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council [VEAC] is a sham” said the chairman of the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance, Peter Newman.
“We note that this report which has dumped its major proposal of a 4000GL overbank flood for the Murray River every five years was released at midday on a Friday, thereby denying public comment at its release. Read more here...
Shire supports alternative solution for red gum forests March 2008
Gannawarra Shire Council, based in the northern Victorian town of Kerang, has agreed to contribute $2000 to the Rivers and Red Gum Environmental Alliance for the preparation of an alternative to the proposals outlined in the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council’s (VEAC’s) River Red Gum Forests Investigation Draft Proposals Paper. Read more here...
No denial on new red gum investigation data 24/03/08
Northern Victoria MP, Wendy Lovell has called on the Environment Minister, Gavin Jennings to provide an opportunity for public consultation on new information collected by the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council [VEAC] but not yet made public.
“Why should new data be included in the final report when the community has not been given an opportunity to respond to it?” asked Ms Lovell. Read more here...
Community must be consulted on new red gum forest investigations 17/03/08
Calls were made today for the Environment Minister, Gavin Jennings to direct the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council [VEAC] to hold further public consultations on new data collected by the council in their investigations into red gum forests of the Murray River.
This follows the announcement that VEAC had been given a second extension of three months by the Minister before tabling final recommendations from their long running investigation. Read more here...
Alliance welcomes council support 11/03/08
“Murray River councils are coming out in support of the fight against the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council [VEAC] draft proposals for public land along the Murray River” said Peter Newman, chairman of the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance. Read more...
Red gum plan doomed financially 6/03/08
A recently released review by Ernst and Young Associates shows the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council plans for the river red gum forests could cripple the economies of northern Victorian towns. Read more here...
Indigenous consultation deceitful 3/03/08
“Further revelations have come to light that reveal indigenous consultation by the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council on draft proposals for the river red gum forests has been tokenistic and needs to be addressed by VEAC” said Peter Newman, chairman of the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance. Read more here...
Local government supports the Alliance 28/02/08
Gannawarra Shire Council has agreed to contribute $2000 to the Rivers and Red Gum Environmental Alliance for the preparation of an alternative to the proposals outlined in the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council’s (VEAC’s) River Red Gum Forests Investigation Draft Proposals Paper. Read more...
Massive show of support for Red Gum Alliance campaign 3/1/08
Campers along the Murray River had overwhelmingly supported the cause of the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance to challenge the draft proposals of the Victorian Environment Assessment Council. Read more here...
Alliance shocked at water claims 21/12/07
“Claims by Campaspe councillor, Ian Maddison and Member for Rodney, Paul Weller that the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance had underestimated the detrimental socio economic effect of proposed water allocations for the red gum forest were alarming” said Peter Newman, chairman of the Alliance. Read more here...
Communities reject VEAC proposals 6/12/07
“The formation of the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance was borne out of the frustration of local communities along the Murray River with the high handed treatment meted out to people by the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council [VEAC] investigation of the red gum forests” said Peter Newman, chairman of the Alliance. Read more here...
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