Environment Minister John Thwaites pays tribute to OREN
and the community.

NATIONAL PARKS (OTWAYS AND OTHER AMENDMENTS) BILL
House ASSEMBLY

Members THWAITES
Date: 8th September 2005
"I know many members of the community have passionately supported this project. I will not be able to name all of them, but I would like to mention the members of the Otway Ranges Environment Network. This is a group of people who have campaigned for this for many years. They have not always agreed with what this government has done, but they put forward an outstanding case for this national park and for the end of logging in the Otways. That case was successfully put, and now we have this result.

I think it is a good demonstration of a community that has been able to articulate its position very clearly and advocate for it very strongly, and as a result we have a great outcome and a great achievement."