Dead koala electricity - a political hot potato

Tuesday, 12 June 2001 10:00

"The use of native forests to produce electricity fails on environmental, economic and community acceptance grounds. It is rightly called 'dead koala electricity', said Jeff Angel Director of the Centre.

"Opinion polling reveals massive opposition to such schemes, which are simply an extension of unpopular woodchipping in native forests. It is economic suicide for the renewable energy industry to ally itself to the longest running environmental battle in Australia. And such wood burning power stations produce more greenhouse gases than coal fired stations."

"The issue is high on the environment movement's federal election agenda. It is also a critical matter for state governments which control the supply of forest material. With almost a dozen proposals on the east coast, this means that state ALP Governments also have to act. For example, in NSW, there are at least six plans to burn native forest in power stations."

"Bob Carr, who has made forest protection a major part of his environmental platform and says he wants to play an environmental role in the coming federal election, risks igniting massive protests if any native forest material finds its way into power stations. He should ban the schemes," Mr Angel said.

The Centre has been active in state and federal elections in the past.