Time for forest activists to be held accountableIn a media release put out yesterday, the Australian Forest Products Association says it's deeply concerned by the latest round of misinformation being spread by extreme green groups to damage manufacturing and cause job losses in Australia. Dr David Pollard, chief executive officer, said, "Targeting customers with misleading information about legitimate, legal and certified timber product organisations must stop"."Markets for Change have been targeting customers in Japan and encouraging people to click on a web-link which automatically spams multiple email addresses in Japan telling customers that PEFC certification (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) is “totally inadequate for Australian wood products". "This blatant attempt at commercial sabotage has two clear objectives, firstly to close down a natural and sustainable industry in Australia and secondly to destroy the brand value of PEFC, the world's largest forest certification organisation which currently certifies over 240 million ha worldwide". "Some environmental groups like Markets for Change and the Last Stand, which share the same video footage, are on a quest to close down any industry that they take a dislike to – paying no regard to the facts, the science and the environmental benefits of storing carbon in forests and harvested wood – for the life of the product". "The Tasmanian forest industry is a sustainable, biologically focused industry which takes great care in preserving Tasmania’s forest for the next generation to enjoy. AFPA has taken the unprecedented step of producing its own YouTube video to counter some of the misinformation and to provide comfort to customers of Australia’s renewable forest products industry. Australian workers in regional areas deserve no less support and I do wonder where the Australian government is on this issue," said Dr Pollard. | |
Copyright 2004-2013 © Innovatek Ltd. All rights reserved. |
