Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Environment spokesperson
The Hodgman Government’s refusal to protect the swift parrot was front and centre on the national stage during last night’s Four Corners program. Bird experts confirmed, once again, that habitat destruction is increasing the risk of extinction for the swift parrot.
Andrea Dawkins MP | Greens' Environment spokesperson
In their ideologically-driven rush to log the State’s native forests, the Liberals are destroying the habitat of the endangered Swift parrot. They’ve authorised logging of critical parrot habitat in Southern Tasmania, without a thought for the endangered bird.
There are only 2,000 swifties left in the wild, and the Liberals have made a deliberate decision to log these forests. We must stop the logging of Swift parrot habitat - full stop - if they are to survive.
Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens' Leader and Forests spokesperson
In Budget Estimates today Resources Minister, Guy Barnett, confirmed he is unleashing a land clearing bonanza on Tasmania’s public and private land.
Tragically, the consequences of his reckless, destructive approach to the forestry portfolio will be felt for generations. Threatened species will be driven closer to extinction and the release of greenhouse gases from logging and land clearing will harm future generations.
Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader and Forests spokesperson
The Minister for Resources is living in cloud cuckoo land if he thinks Forestry Tasmania can secure Forest Stewardship Certification under current Liberal policies.
Forestry Tasmania is still logging threatened species habitat in high conservation value forests. There are still rainforested coupes in the Tarkine that are schedule for logging. The legislated minimum sawlog quota of 137 000 cubic metres is unsustainably high.
Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Environment spokesperson
Yesterday, the Federal Government silently moved the swift parrot up to critically endangered status under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
This is a tragic confirmation that the inaction of Liberal governments is driving this wonderful speedy bird to extinction.
Swift parrots are especially vulnerable to habitat loss. Logging in Tasmania has now so reduced nesting and feeding sites that the bird is under immense pressure from sugar glider predation.
Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader and Forests spokesperson
The long-awaited Forest Stewardship Council audit report on Forestry Tasmania reveals the GBE has a long way to go before it achieves FSC certification.
FT still has numerous major 'non-conformities' to address including its ongoing logging of old growth forests, its approach to managing rare, threatened and endangered species and its monitoring and assessment regime.
