Minister defends clearing ban move

Two-page article discusses the controversial south-west clearing ban legislation. The state government has finally broken its silence some four weeks after the legislation came into effect. The Works Minister Graham MacKinnon's said that it was apparent some farmers did not understand why the government had amended the Country Areas Water Supply Act to extend already existing clearing bans. Mr. MacKinnon said that the legislation was introduced reluctantly, but as a necessary step to control salinity levels in the Mundaring Weir, and Denmark, Kent and Warren River catchments. Farmers responded saying that they are conscious of the salt problem and are in favour of control measures - but clearing bans are no answer. In Perth, the Campaign to Save Native Forests has joined the outcry and have accused the government of "double standards". Spokesman for the group, Neil Bartholmaeus said the government had banned farmland clearing, while still sanctioning the massive timber felling for saw milling and wood-chipping. PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to provide a public view of this newspaper article as the copyright is held by the publisher of Western Farmer and Grazier. If you would like to obtain a copy of this newspaper article for research purposes, please ‘request a copy'. This article is part of the WISALTS (Whittington Interceptor Sustainable Agriculture Land Treatment Society Incorporated) Collection