The argument between economics and conservation is a false dichotomy, writes Christine Milne

TASMANIAN Minerals and Energy Council chairman Wayne Bould's Talking Point article (Mercury, December 18) about the Tarkine could not have been more timely.

It came the day after the Supreme Court found the Environment Protection Authority had not followed the law in allowing a mine to store more hazardous waste than its permit specified.

This was the mine that owners claimed would employ 120 people over three years.

Amid reports that Shree Minerals' Nelson Bay River mine is under investigation for breaching its federal environmental permit, Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne says the Abbott government must not proceed with plans to hand protection powers over to the state.

It's believed the Tasmanian Government amended its permit to allow the Nelson Bay River Mine to produce 20 times more acid-producing waste rock than originally planned, but the Federal Environment Department was not notified or given a chance to model the impacts on threatened species.

Shree Minerals has now confirmed its iron ore operation in the Tarkine has been suspended and the Australian Greens say it's clear Tasmania's future is not in mining.

"This cynical political experiment has failed. It's time to stop pretending that destroying the Tarkine will deliver any kind of prosperity to Tasmania," said Greens Leader and Tasmanian Senator Christine Milne.

"Who could forget the pre-election hype from then AWU president Paul Howes, federal minister Tony Burke and Premier Lara Giddings, trying to justify destruction of the Tarkine?

The mining company that was supposed to bring a jobs boom to northwest Tasmania is coming unstuck, prompting the Australian Greens to once again call for the Tarkine to be protected.

Amid reports that Shree Mining is in serious financial strife, Greens Leader and Tasmanian Senator Christine Milne says it's clear that promised economic and jobs benefits were nothing more than unsubstantiated hype.

The Abbott government has turned its back on saving the Tassie devil with proposed changes to federal environmental law announced today, Greens Leader Christine Milne said today.

"Federal law requires the Environment Minister to consider advice about how to protect threatened plants and animals when deciding to approve projects," Senator Milne said.

"Under these changes the minister would be able to approve mines in the Tarkine, and other areas of the state, without considering a key piece of expert advice on what the devil and other threatened species need to survive.

Australian Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said today that Environment Minister Mark Butler's decision on the proposed Venture Minerals open-cut mine in the Tarkine is a political ploy in a marginal electorate on the first day of a Federal election.

"Minister Butler was always going to make the decision he made today for the same political reasons Tony Burke shocked the country by ignoring the Australian Heritage Councils recommendations to protect the Tarkine earlier this year," said Senator Whish-Wilson.