Standard Page - 10 April, 2012
Every day in Australia, timber, wood and paper products sourced from illegal and destructive logging are sold in stores across the country.
Greenpeace has campaigned for over ten years to get the government to ban illegal timber products from entering Australia. Last year we celebrated the government finally drafting these laws.
Just recently this new law - the Illegal Logging Prohibition Bill - was debated in Parliament. Yet we are facing a new obstacle.
Tony Abbott and the Coalition are opposing the law on the basis that it might inhibit free trade!
Illegal logging is nothing short of organized crime. It fuels human rights abuse and environmental devastation and it deprives developing countries of billions of dollars in taxes each year. The US and the EU have adopted strong laws that ban illegal timber imports.
Take action: Ask the Coalition to keep its election commitment and support this important new law.
Tweet Julie Bishop and Tony Abbott:
|
| @ TonyAbbottMHR @JulieBishopMP Stop supporting organised crime. Say yes to the illegal timber laws. |
|
| Illegal logging is a crime - Australians don’t want it. @TonyAbbottMHR @JulieBishopMP Support laws to stop illegal timber imports. |
|
| @ TonyAbbottMHR @JulieBishopMP We need your help. Support the Bill to stop illegal logging imports – help stamp out corruption and destruction. |
Don’t have twitter? Email them instead.
&Subject=We need your help. Support the Bill to stop illegal logging imports&body=Dear Julie Bishop %0D%0A%0D%0A Like most Australians, I don’t want to benefit from the criminal activity of others.%0D%0A%0D%0A With millions of illegal timber products coming into Australia every year, there’s a good chance the products I’m bringing into my home or workplace are directly linked to the bribery, tax evasion, environmental destruction and corruption that go hand in hand with illegal logging. %0D%0A%0D%0A It also concerns me that illegal logging cheats already impoverished communities out of a fair price for their timber. %0D%0A%0D%0A I note the World Bank have pointed out that in their experience the same organised criminals that are involved in illegal logging are often involved in or linked to other forms of crime such as human trafficking, money laundering, wildlife crime, and drugs. %0D%0A%0D%0A The US has already put strong laws in place and the European Union is about to do the same. We need to join this global action. %0D%0A%0D%0A I ask the Coalition to take a firm stand against cross-border criminal activity and support the passage of the Illegal Logging Prohibition Bill. %0D%0A%0D%0A Yours sincerely, %0D%0A%0D%0A (INSERT NAME)">
