The Greens have today launched a plan to protect lutruwita/Tasmania’s forests for future generations and for a safe climate, all while ensuring new job opportunities.

With states across Australia ending native logging, it’s clear the writing is on the wall for Tasmania’s native forest logging industry. The IPCC tells us our forests are the first line of defence against climate change and must be protected. Native forest logging is destroying biodiversity and undermining climate action, and consumers are waking up to the damage.

The Greens have called for an end to native forest logging in addition to plantation forestry reform following the Morrison Government’s announcement today about increasing its self-reliance on wood supply. 

Quotes attributable to Greens Senator for lutruwita/Tasmania, Peter Whish-Wilson:

“It’s no surprise that the Liberal Party is announcing another taxpayer-subsidised lifeline to support the loss-making forestry industry in Tasmania prior to an election.

A Senate Inquiry that investigated Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) approvals has used key Tasmanian case studies to blast the Federal Government and demonstrate why reform is desperately needed to restore public confidence in foreign investment.

The Greens have called on Environment Minister Sussan Ley to protect Tasmanian devils from becoming mining-industry roadkill by rejecting Venture Minerals’ application to vary the EPBC approval for its Riley Creek mine in the takayna/Tarkine region.

The EDO Tasmania has launched legal action on behalf of conservationists to stop Venture Minerals from trucking ore at night along the 112kms stretch of critical Tasmanian devil habitat.

The Tasmanian government is continuing to privatise public land through its secretive expressions of interest process, Greens Senator for Tasmania Nick McKim says.

“The first-stage approval of the Mount Roland cable car is effectively a sell-off and lock up of one of the most precious and beautiful parts of our state,” Senator McKim said.

“The Liberals have learned nothing from the backlash over Lake Malbena, and want to push ahead with their secretive process.”

“Tasmania’s reserves, national parks and the TWWHA are not theirs to sell.”

The federal and state governments must take action to save Tasmania’s East Coast reefs.

“Our reefs are far too important to lose, but right now they are being devastated by urchin barrens and the rapidly warming waters of Tasmania’s East Coast,” Greens Senator for Tasmania Nick McKim said.

“Tasmania’s East Coast is one of the world’s ocean warming hotspots, and the destruction of our reefs will have widespread impacts on species that rely on them and the wider marine environment.”