Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens Leader
The Leader of Government Business in the Legislative Council, Leonie Hiscutt MLC, is in political la-la land if she thinks Labor stands for the environment. If only that was the case.
Ms Hiscutt obviously isn’t paying much attention to the facts.
At every turn, in every Parliamentary debate and public statement on an environmental issue, Labor prefers to sit on the fence.
They’ll use phrases like ‘concerned’ and then vote in support of environmental exploitation every time.
Tasmanian Labor has twice voted in support of Liberal legislation to facilitate the cable car development of kunanyi/Mt Wellington.
To hide their complicity in the planned desecration of the mountain and privatisation of the pinnacle, Labor MPs engage in handwringing on the issue in the face of those who want to protect kunanyi.
Labor is yet to declare a position on the Liberals’ corrupted EOI process, despite anglers, bushwalkers and conservationists begging them to do so.
It’s an uncomfortable silence that falls upon the Labor benches whenever the Greens raise the privatisation of our protected areas in Parliament. Suddenly, any Labor MP present in the Chamber at the time, finds something very interesting to look at on their desk or their phones. This happens time and again.
The same goes for industrial fish farming, rainforest logging and climate action. When it counts for Tasmania’s environment, Labor is missing in action.
The Greens hope 2019 will bring a Labor backflip on the cable car, and a positon on the exploitation for public profit of wilderness areas – but we’re not holding our breath.
Instead of putting out silly, untrue media releases to raise her profile before the Legislative Council elections in May, Ms Hiscutt should be honest and recognise that, when it comes to the environment, her party and Labor are in lock step.