Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader
The beauty of a democracy is that any group of concerned citizens can speak up and establish organisations to represent their concerns. It is, of course, disappointing to hear that a member of the United Tasmania Group has lost faith in the Tasmanian Greens’ and decided to establish a new group.
There's been no representation made to any of the State Greens’ MPs in relation to Dr Holloway’s concerns, so it is difficult to determine exactly what statements or policies have caused these grievances.
We would disagree with Dr Holloway's claims about our performance on environmental issues but continue to defend his right to say it, and to form a political group if he and others genuinely believe it will deliver environmental and social outcomes for Tasmania.
In the last term of Parliament the World Heritage Area was expanded by 170,000 hectares and we got loggers out of almost 400,000 hectares of iconic high conservation value forests including Wielangta and the Blue Tier. These places are again threatened under the Liberals, and we'll continue to fight fiercely for their protection.
Our work in the last term, and this current parliament, continues the strong tradition of successive generations of Tasmanian Greens MPs in articulating a more sustainable, economically diverse and socially just path forward. We will continue to stand up for Tasmania’s globally unique forests and valuable natural brand.
We've relentlessly fought to defend the TWWHA from the worst excesses of Minister Groom’s opaque Expressions of Interest process. We are the only Party asking questions about the State Government’s response to the fires that devastated Gondwanan wilderness in January. We are also the only Party that has delivered a long term renewable energy security strategy for Tasmania in the wake of the Basslink crisis.
The Hodgman Liberal Government wants to log, mine and open up our World Heritage Area to inappropriate development. It wants to replace our renewable energy mix with diesel and gas. It wants to continue the harm caused by poker machines in our community. In Parliament, we are the Party that asks questions the old parties won’t ask or answer.
We are looking forward to the 2018 State Election and building on the 50,000 people who voted Green at the last State Election.