Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens' Leader
With conservative governments at the Federal and State level ignoring climate science and overseeing cuts to the State's world class scientific institutions, hundreds of Tasmanians joined the global March for Science today.
Hobart is a globally recognised hub of Antarctic and Southern Ocean science. Something of which we can be immensely proud, but this expertise and our reputation is under assault at a time when we should be increasing funding of public good science.
The rally heard that under the Abbott and Turnbull governments, $150 million has been cut from CSIRO and $100 million from the Australian Antarctic Division, costing a profound loss of scientific capacity and around 150 local jobs.
Three years into its term, the Hodgman Government has yet to deliver a climate plan. The Liberals are, however, promoting native forest furnaces for power and standing by their unsupported and unpopular plan to allow logging in 356 000 hectares of high conservation value, carbon rich forest.
This is recklessness of the highest order. It is a dangerous denial of scientific truth and abrogation of responsibility.
We need political leaders that heed the science, implement policy that reduces emissions and prepare communities to adapt to the immense challenges ahead.
The March for Science is taking place at more than 600 locations in 68 countries around the world.
Unfortunately, not a single Liberal MP turned up to today's March for Science in Hobart.