Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens' Leader
With fish farming approved in East Coast waters despite the threat of environmental harm and community opposition, and loggers to be unleashed on High Conservation Value forests, the Liberals are making the next State Election a referendum on the environment.
As Labor cheers the Liberals on from the opposition benches, only the Greens will be there to stand up for Tasmania's environment and stand with communities determined to protect it.
As ever, the Greens will be the only voice in the Tasmanian Parliament that relentlessly and consistently stands for a clean, green Tasmania and the sustainable jobs of the future.
The stupidity and greed of the old parties cannot be allowed to continue to trash what sets this island apart from the rest of the world.
Minister Barnett's announcement today that the Liberals will bring their destructive Bill to Parliament early this year is a dishonest attempt to manipulate the voting public ahead of the State election.
The 356,000 ha of forest Mr Barnett plans to open up to logging are not production forests. They are High Conservation Value forests, that were set aside for protection because of their environmental significance under the Tasmanian Forest Agreement.
The Liberals are desperate to restart the forest wars in Tasmania, but they are on the wrong side of history.
The industry needs to get out of high conservation native forest, and that is what the sensible heads in the industry want to do. It is perverse that the Liberals would act against the interests of the industry and of the environment.
An ever growing number of visitors flock to Tasmania to experience this island's natural beauty. The Liberals' logging plan is a threat to the visitor economy and Tasmania's brand.
Over the past four decades, the Greens first defined and have always defended the clean, green brand upon which our exporters and tourism businesses now depend.
In Parliament and in the community this year, we will redouble our efforts as Greens' MPs to take on the establishment parties and defend Tasmania's environment.