Timber Groups Are Being Urged to Pull The Plug on Tasmania's Forest Peace Talks

Timber groups are being urged to pull the plug on Tasmania's forest peace talks, just 10 days out from a final deadline. It comes as an influential environment group reiterates it will not accept anything other than all high conservation value forests being given full protection from logging. Markets for Change is not a signatory to the deal but has issued a new list of conditions it wants included. The talks were due to conclude by the end of June but the deadline has since been extended until July 23. Markets for Change say a peace deal must secure protection for high conservation value forests and reduce logging volumes. It also wants greater biodiversity protection for forests that will still be logged. Group spokeswoman Peg Putt says the list is not an ultimatum, but a reminder of what environment groups in the talks must achieve. "We're not simply talking about a resolution in terms of a quietening down of domestic politics, " she said. "We're talking about what the marketplace and therefore ordinary consumers who go shopping all over the world expect to see in terms of the environmental credentials of the product that they buy. " Ms Putt has denied pressuring other environment groups. "They don't carry a card for us, so therefore it is important for us to be clear about what it is that we've been talking about during this period so that there can be no misunderstanding. " "But at the same time, begin clear does not mean being threatening. " The Tasmanian Opposition claims the new list of demands is a sign environmentalists will never compromise. The Liberal's Peter Gutwein says green groups will never be happy and is calling on timber groups to walk away. "They want the full 572, 000 hectares locked-up. They won't accept anything less, " he said. The Premier, Lara Giddings, is reminding Markets for Change that the peace process is about negotiation. "Negotiations are about give and take. " The Greens Leader, Nick McKim, says the Markets for Change conditions seem reasonable. "I think the points that Markets for Change have made are reasonable and I'm sure they'll be considered by all of the signatories as they try and sit down and try and work this issue through, " he said. "Ultimately, in terms of what that process may throw up at the end of it none of us know. " Source: abc.net.au