Our precious South West forests are under threat from logging like never before. 600 year old trees are being cut down for woodchips under Barnett. Most Western Australians don’t support logging in our native forests. Only the Greens are standing up for our forests, with a plan to create secure jobs in the South West.

WA’s native forests are well loved and extremely valuable. According to a recent report, we could earn more from managing our native forests as carbon stores, than we currently do from logging them.

The Liberal and Labor parties have ganged up to gut the Renewable Energy Target and allow native forest burning under that target in the Senate tonight.

Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and climate change spokesperson, said the government had also done a deal with the anti-wind crossbenchers to attack the wind industry.

"Ganging up with Labor to slash the Renewable Energy Target and allow it to burn native forests just wasn't enough for Tony Abbott.

Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne says Tony Abbott has once again made a disastrous captain's call in backing his Liberal ideologues on Tasmanian forests, and now risks repeating the mistake.

"The disaster that is the Tasmanian forest industry is clearly at the feet of Tony Abbott with his stupid captain's call. Don't do it again, Prime Minister.

"Forestry Tasmania is never going to get FSC certification and the blame lies squarely with Mr Abbott and Tasmanian Liberals.

28 August 2014

Tasmanian brand trashed by logging decision

“The Legislative Council has trashed Tasmania’s brand by backing the government’s move to log our high conservation value forests,” Senator Christine Milne said today.

“Many Tasmanian businesses rely on our clean, green brand – turning the state into an industrial logging playground will trash it.

Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne has praised the World Heritage Committee decision overnight to uphold Tasmania's Wilderness World Heritage boundaries as a victory for common sense.

"This is a great win for the forests, for wildlife and for Tasmania," Senator Milne said.

"It's been clear for decades that these forests are of world heritage value, the only person unable to see it is Tony Abbott.

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (22:28): There is something strange happening in New South Wales. Every day we are hearing stories about the decline in the coal industry. We are hearing about job losses, the falling price of coal, the need for mining companies to implement efficiency measures. Just today the Australian Financial Reviewran an article headed 'Black days for coal'. At the same time the industry is aggressively pushing mines into communities that clearly do not want them. Any sensible analysis would note a contradiction here.

Greens NSW Senator Lee Rhiannon and Greens NSW Environment Spokesperson Dr Mehreen Faruqi MLC today joined protesters trying to stop the controversial winter clearing for the Maules Creek coalmine.

Senator Rhiannon said: “Whitehaven are desperately trying to run roughshod over the local community, who have consistently made a strong case against this destructive mine.

“Today I am joining farmers, community members and environmentalists who are standing up for our land and water by trying to prevent this destruction.

A Senate inquiry has called on the Abbott government to withdraw its proposal to reduce the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area by 74,000 hectares, Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne said today.

"The Senate inquiry has also called for Australia to stand by its promise to the World Heritage Committee to assess by June 2015 the Aboriginal cultural values of additions to the Area," Senator Milne said.