Cotton industry acting like thugs in Dubbo cotton decision

Thursday, 13 May 1999 10:00

Total Environment Centre today accused the Cotton Industry for acting like thugs, threatening costly legal action and calling the planning process 'discriminatory' in the Dubbo cotton decision.

"As Gary Punch from Cotton Australia well knows, any industry that poses a significant environmental threat needs to undergo thorough assessment for it's environmental impacts. It's absolute nonsense that it is a discriminatory process, it's basically good planning practice that should be applied to the rest of NSW," said Jeff Angel, Director Total Environment Centre.

"The fact remains that the proposed cotton development in Dubbo will use vast quantities of pesticides and defoliants, genetically modified crop varieties, and is located in an environmentally sensitive location next to a river and aquifer recharge area. There is also concern about its proximity to the town and other important tourist attractions".

"It is hardly surprising the Dubbo community has reservations about cotton development in its diverse and thriving centre. The industry's performance last season was appalling, and this was after the introduction of industry Best Management Practices".

"The Council must not let the overblown threats of costly legal implications for rejecting the development sway or influence the decision making process." Mr Angel concluded.