Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader and Primary Industries spokesperson
Today’s announcement that the moratorium on Genetically Modified Organisms would be extended by 10 years is welcome news.
Unfortunately, this is overshadowed by the fact that the Federal decision to declassify SDN1 techniques as GMOs means that our moratorium will not, and cannot under Commonwealth law, exclude GMOs edited by SDN1 techniques.
Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens Leader and Animal Welfare spokesperson
When twenty senior farm managers put their serious concerns about animal welfare in writing, government must pay attention.
Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens’ Leader and Primary Industries spokesperson
Primary Industries Minister, Sarah Courtney, has revealed the Liberals’ plans to extend licences to shoot native wildlife, including wombats suffering from the deadly sarcoptic mange.
Andrea Dawkins MP | Greens’ spokesperson for Primary Industries
The Liberals’ biosecurity policy announcement today is a terrible joke made at the expense of Tasmania's farmers and growers.
First they cut biosecurity funds, then refused to adequately resource it - the State is no longer fruit fly free and our exporters face uncertain overseas markets - and now they want Tasmanians to believe they have a plan to repair the damage they caused.
Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens’ Leader
The high level of foreign ownership and growing foreign influence in Tasmania has got people talking across the State.
Almost 25% of our state’s agricultural land is under a level of foreign ownership, and foreign donors are making large donations to the Liberals.
The Greens want to start a rational and respectful conversation about the impact of foreign ownership and influence in Tasmania.
Andrea Dawkins MP | Greens’ Primary Industries spokesperson
The Liberals’ plan to move Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment staff from Hobart to the North and North West is hollow political pork-barreling. Their plan won’t create new job opportunities, unless existing, specialist staff resign.
If they really wanted to improve DPIPWE services and increase jobs in the North and North West, they should be boosting the Department’s funding.
Andrea Dawkins MP | Greens’ Primary Industries spokesperson
The Minister for Primary Industries, Jeremy Rockliff, confirmed today in question time, that after four years and lengthy consultation, promised Biosecurity legislation would not be tabled in this term of government.
Protecting Tasmania’s clean, green image is critical to the future of our agricultural sector.
The draft legislation has been closed to submissions since June this year, giving ample time to table the final Bill. Yet Minister Rockliff has failed to deliver.
Andrea Dawkins MP | Greens' Primary Industries spokesperson
The Greens welcome the government’s investment in on-island shellfish testing. We raised our serious concerns about this industry, and potential public health, issue late last year.
Interstate testing delays meant shellfish were being shipped and served before health notifications were received. Some growers said their oysters were already on plates before they even knew there's a problem.
