Media Release 3/2/2010

Environment policy put on Election Agenda

Tasmanian Environment groups have today put the environment firmly on the State Election agenda - calling for major policy commitments from all political parties between now and election day.

Today environment groups launched the ‘Joint Tasmanian Environment Groups’ 2010 Policy Agenda’, which outlines the key environment policy asks on a broad range of environment policy areas, including coasts, the marine environment, forests, Parks & climate change.  The groups believe that politicians have been a long way behind the broader community on the protection of Tasmania’s natural environment;

“We are looking forward to some big environment policy commitments from all three political parties between now and the State election,” said Dr Phill Pullinger, Director of Environment Tasmania, “I firmly believe that the political party that comes to the table with the biggest steps forward in environment policy will have the best chance of winning the election.  It is time for our politicians to catch up with our community on protection of Tasmania’s natural environment,” he concluded.

“Building a stand alone and fully resourced Department of Environment that integrates all environmental protection related agencies with the power and capacity to fully protect Tasmania’ s world-renowned natural and heritage values should be a bread and butter commitment that all three political parties can make” said Robert Campbell, President of the Tasmanian National Parks Association.

“Tasmania today has the biggest opportunity to find common ground over forests and solve the Tasmanian forests issue – we just need our politicians to listen and play a constructive role in finding a solution,” said Vica Bayley, from The Wilderness Society

“Our local community and the Tasmanian community has been absolutely clear – we love our coasts and want them protected,” said Jane MacDonald from Save Ralphs Bay Inc. “It is time for our politicians to commit to protecting our coastal environment and banning canal estate developments in Tasmania,”

“Tasmania should be the renewable energy island and commit to the ambitious but achievable goal of 100% renewable electricity generation by 2020, using truly renewable resources such as wind, solar and geo thermal and excluding the burning of native forest and native ecosystem biomass as an acceptable source of energy.  In the immediate term the Government should be introducing a substantial gross feed-in Tariff for households and businesses and commit to protecting all of our native ecosystems as natural carbon stores,” said Rohan Church, spokesperson for Climate Action Hobart.

The joint environment groups’ 2010 policy agenda was put together by Environment Tasmania and is attached.  Environment Tasmania is the peak body for Tasmanian environment & conservation groups – and represents over 20 Tasmanian environment groups with collective representation of over 5000 Tasmanians.

Download:
Policy_Agenda_-_Key_Policies.doc
ET_Environment_Policy_Asks.pdf