Western Woodlands Given Protection

Postcard: Western Woodlands of NSW - Wild, Unique, Under Threat: National Parks for Pilliga and Goonoo

The package also included generous compensation for workers and millers affected by the decision. Every worker has been promised an immediate job. Alternatively the government will pay a $72,000 redundancy package if workers decide not to take a replacement job.

The worrying thing about the decision is that none of the area was made into National Park. If an area is National Park it is managed for the conservation of nature. Instead the government has created a completely new four tiered tenure system called Community Conservation Areas. All four zones will be managed by the same body even though Zone 1 and 2 are about protecting nature and Zone 3 and 4 are about administering mining and logging. It is unclear why this was necessary. Zone 2 has been created to recognise the Aboriginal significance of areas, but from what we understand will preclude Aboriginal ownership of these lands. What's more, the whole of the Goonoo remains open to mining. This is madness. It should have been given the status of a National Park.

More information
See the map of the areas protected (PDF, 1MB)
Read the government's summary of the decision for conservation (Word doc)
Read the government's summary of the decision for industry (Word doc)