Calls for immediate moratorium on old growth logging

The Wilderness Society has called for an immediate end to old-growth logging after a new report identified forests that can absorb three times more carbon than international studies had previously suggested.

Scientists from the Australian National University examined 240 sites of intact natural forests in south-east Australia and found they can store up to 640 tonnes per hectare.

The largest stocks were in the central highlands of Tasmania and Victoria.

Virginia Young from the Wilderness Society says the research findings should prompt governments to protect native forests.

"If you were being sensible you would put an immediate moratorium on all old-growth logging all around the country because it's clear the carbon stocks are so much higher than anyone has previously analysed before," she said.

"The last thing you would do would be to log old-growth forests in Tasmania or Victoria."

Carbon sink tax bill 'seriously flawed'

There were extraordinary scenes in the Senate last night as the Greens combined with the Nationals and the Liberal Senator Bill Heffernan to attack part of a tax bill.

It was originally drafted by the previous Coalition government and has been reintroduced by Labor.

It gives a full tax deduction for the cost of planting forests as carbon sinks.

But Senator Heffernan, the Nationals and the Greens argued passionately in the Senate last night that it is flawed.

Senator Heffernan says the bill does not stop the trees being cut down or allowed to die within a year.

"There is absolutely no way in this legislation that you can prevent me from planting these trees and the year after I collect the tax deduction - me ploughing them in," he said.

"It is a national disgrace if we allow this Parliament to pass this legislation in the full knowledge that it is completely and fundamentally flawed."

Greens Senator Bob Brown agrees the bill is seriously flawed.

Nationals Senator Barnaby Jocye has called it a load of rubbish.

"Its very rare - to be honest - I would agree with the Greens but tonight's going to be one of those nights," Senator Joyce said.

But Government Senator Stephen Conroy says the bill was initially brought in by the previous Government.

"To be muttering up the back about what an evil plot this is - its your bill," he said.

The senators do not deny that they are negotiating on ways to to fix the problems they have complained about.

The Coalition is understood to be discussing technical aspects of how to do that.