Scary ideas on privatising forests. Could the idea spread to woodchipped Australian forests? #Environment #Forests #Privatisation

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We have just had an election in Victoria which has brought about a change from Labor in government to the Liberal and National Parties governing in coalition.  Now the scary thing when there is a change of government is the people who influence government who aren't elected.  First of all, there are their ministerial advisers and the behind the scenes party influentials.  Then there are the bureaucrats of the various departments. And somewhere in all that mix are the ideas.  From whence and whom do they come?  Sometimes from like-minded political parties in other parts of the world.

So I became rather scared for Victorian forests when I read this. Just what if this idea was to gain currency in Victoria.  Large slices of Victorian forests already have gone to woodchip and photocopying paper.

Gunn's have been pulled into line in Tasmania through Geoffrey Cousins and his 'social licence' strategy and the advent of a Labor/Greens coalition government. But could the conservative parties in Victoria draw on the ideas of their Tory cousins in the UK?

Further reading:

Victoria's forests

A new timber industry strategy for Victoria

Forest Policy a major step forward for the Victorian Liberals (2003)

Coalition to provide long term security for Victorian Forestry (2010)

Postscript 5/1/2011

Read about building forest protests here.

Forest of Dean protesters fight off big woodland selloff

The world's remaining great forests