According to DPI government websites, as consequence of the Cabinet decision concerning the 2023 North Coast Forestry Project, there has been a change in legislation in NSW allowing the burning of native forest wood waste for electricity generation.  Also, a change to the RET which has reinstated native forest wood waste as an eligible energy source and the previous clause that precluded Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) projects from using native forest biomass has been removed under the Emissions Eeduction Fund (ERF).  

The Morrison government is backing the roll-out of regional hubs to burn wood for electricity. Four trials of nine initial hubs will be created.

Our government has committed $12.5 million to these hubs. This plan aims to deliver a billion new trees to meet a projected quadrupling of global demand for timber products by 2050.  

Three hubs in the north-east would be Bulahdelah, Grafton and Kempsey.  

Basically, trees will be harvested, transported to pellet mills, pelletised and converted to electricity.  I quote, again, the volumes available would be enough to support at least six average-sized pellet production facilities (producing 100,000 tonnes of pellets/year).  

The government also is in favour of selling our timber as pellets overseas to Japan and China and developing new markets. 

One argument lies in the word content. When machines dig up the forests to bare dirt and leave an occasional stick every 80 metres, the government calls this intensive logging.  

Environmentalists call this clear felling. You make up your mind.  

NPA senior ecologist, Dr Oisin Sweeney says, "Given what we know that biomass use overseas is driving deforestation, and the evidence that burning forests for power is driving climate change, this is reckless in the extreme. It is hard to imagine a worse idea than this. Coming from a governmental department that has a responsibility to serve the public interest moves it from merely ill advised to downright irresponsible. North coast forests are just one of 36 global biodiversity hotspots. Survey after survey shows strong community support for genuine renewable like solar."  

Why is this hidden from the public?

I quote again from the government's own website under the guide to ethical decision making; 5. Can the decision or conduct be justified in terms of the public interest and would it withstand public scrutiny?

The government is supposed to be representing us, the people. They should not ignore us. The earth has to be our priority.  

When my grandchildren look at me and say with tears in their eyes "Nan, why didn't you stop them from destroying the forests?" I will say that I tried. Will you? Walk with the children on March 15 from the Glasshouse in solidarity to save our environment.

Patricia Lawrence

Port Macquarie