Feature Story - 10 August, 2010
The Australian Labor government has finally committed to bring in laws to ban illegal and destructive timber coming into Australia. After ten years of campaigning, unscrupulous logging companies will get the message loud and clear.
Illegal logging is linked to human rights abuse, biodiversity loss and devastating deforestation.
After ten years of campaigning, we are on the verge of a significant win for ancient forests. The Australian Labor government has committed to bring in laws to ban illegal and destructive timber coming into Australia.
Every year, Australia imports nearly $1 billion of illegal timber from the last remaining rainforests of countries like PNG and Indonesia.
Every day, you could be unknowingly buying products like outdoor furniture and toilet paper directly linked to climate change, human rights abuse and the destruction of habitats for endangered species like orang-utans and Sumatran tigers.
Right now, Australia has no laws to stop illegal timber products ending up in our homes and offices.
Under the proposed laws, all this would change. Companies and individuals caught importing timber products logged illegally could be charged significant fines and even be sent to jail.
Legislation at last
After ten years of Greenpeace campaigning to save the forests from illegal and destructive logging - a campaign bringing together the biggest players in the timber industry and the country's largest social and environment groups - the Government has finally responded. And we like their response.
If passed, the legislation will benefit industry, create new jobs and will mean Australian consumers can finally be sure they are not destroying someone else's home to create their own.
Closing the gates to destruction and greed
Unscrupulous logging companies will get the message loud and clear. A business model fed by greed and profiting from destruction is no longer acceptable. They will have to change their practices. They will have to certify their timber, ideally to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards.
And best of all, these companies will have to stop destroying the homes and livelihoods of forest dwelling communities and the delicate habitats of thousands of plants and animals.
There is no longer a market in Australia for their illegal and destructive ways.