Saving Tasmania`s forests
Australian prime minister John Howard and the premier of the state of Tasmania, Paul Lennon, recently announced a us$188.6 million package to restructure Tasmania's forestry industry and combat old-growth logging. Partly funded by the Tasmanian government, the move comprises declaring a million hectares (ha) land as a reserve.
Pointing out that the step marks the fulfilment of one of his election promises, Howard said: "It [the move] also preserves jobs