Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader and Parks spokesperson
The Hodgman Government's passionate desire to log, mine and increase private development in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area not only shows a reckless disregard for its values but also the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
Minister Groom's obfuscating and empty statements about 'traditional industries' in question time reveal a stunning disregard for Tasmania's protected places.
The government's position is clear - they think they are above UNESCO.
Minister Groom kept a straight face today when he told the House any operations would be 'low-impact and sensitive to the integrity of the WHA'.
It is doubtful that UNESCO and Minister Groom have the same view of what 'low-impact' and 'sensitive' mean.
Minister Groom can gesticulate as wildly as he likes in Parliament, but the reality is that he can choose to either protect or destroy the WHA, but he can't do both.
Minister Groom told us UNESCO is coming to Tasmania to have a conversation with the State government.
Of course they want to have a conversation after their expression of deep concern was ignored by Mr Groom and his colleagues in June this year.