IN reply to L. Dunn (CL 10/8/03), I wish to say that the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission is not unsympathetic to the issues he raises.
The concerns we raise about land clearing are not simply based on evidence about climate change. They also relate to the growing salinity problem and the alarming loss of plant and animal species.
People in urban Australia must share the burden of the changes which must be made to address these issues.
Indeed, for the last year, the commission has spent an enormous amount of effort in urban areas alerting householders to the climate change crisis and how we can use energy more responsibly to make a contribution to reducing the amount of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide being released into our atmosphere.
Our Cool Communities project has sought to teach Catholics ways to reduce their use of electricity at home and it has also encouraged less use of cars which has included a car pooling trial. This has been publicised in The Catholic Leader on many occasions.
Land clearing is a serious problem, especially in relation to the loss of biodiversity and to rising salinity.
Even the Deputy Prime Minister, John Anderson, a farmer himself, recognises this; and I have heard farmer representatives also acknowledging the need to achieve good environmental outcomes with Queensland’s new land clearing guidelines.
The land clearing pamphlet produced by the commission points out that land clearing is not only happening because of the activity of primary producers, but because of the activity of mining companies, forestry groups and residential developers.
There is no doubt that we need to regulate land clearing practices so that we have an environmentally sustainable outcome for the sake of all Queenslanders, including farmers, now and in the future.
The responsibility has to be shared by all. Where changes impact on people’s lives, support needs to be given to those people affected; and that is why the commission is not only calling for a reduction in land clearing, but clear guidelines for clearing and a fair and adequate adjustment assistance package.
Finally, the commission’s call was clearly directed at our political leaders. It calls for them to change existing regulations to produce a sustainable and fair outcome.
There is no intention of vilifying farmers and the commission has already made approaches to our counterparts in neighbouring dioceses to co-operate on efforts to focus more attention on the difficulties faced by people in rural communities.
PETER ARNDT
Executive officer
Catholic Justice and Peace Commission
Woolloongabba, Qld
