Liberals to oppose Garrett’s Tasmanian land grab

The Federal Coalition stood up for Tasmanian farmers today by moving to stop Environment Minister Peter Garrett’s misguided attempt to shutdown large tracts of the State’s farmland.

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Tasmanian Liberal Senator Richard Colbeck said disallowance motions had been lodged in both the Senate and the House of Representatives which, if passed, would prevent the listing of Lowland Native Grasslands of Tasmania as ‘critically endangered’.

“The Rudd Government’s move to list the grasslands, predominantly located on Northern Midlands farmlands, as ‘critically endangered’ is bad policy and is widely opposed,” Senator Colbeck said.

“Worse still, Minister Garrett conducted virtually nil consultation with Tasmanian farmers before making his decision to lock up their farmland.

“Landholders, particularly through NRM North and local Landcare groups have been excellent stewards of the grasslands for 150 years – they don’t deserve this unnecessary decision by Minister Garrett.

“Worse still, Minister Garrett, knocked back a Caring for Our Country funding application by NRM North to care for the grasslands just days after saying it was the program that could assist Northern Midlands farmers.

“Minister Garrett’s decision has been widely criticised by Tasmanian farmers, the Northern Midlands Council and the Tasmanian State Labor Government, and it was unanimously condemned in the Tasmanian Legislative Council, including by all Labor Legislative Councillors.

“Federal Labor Lyons MP Dick Adams has also publicly criticised the decision, particularly the lack of consultation and the failure to identify compensation for affected landholders.

“I hope Mr Adams will have the courage to stand up and support the Tasmanian farmers by voting with the Coalition on the disallowance motion.

“Minister Garrett is a shameless Minister who is more than content to fly down to Tasmania for happy snaps with whales and convict buildings, but he refuses to face local farmers over this deplorable decision.

Shadow Environment Minister, Greg Hunt, said the disallowance motion was also tabled in the House of Representatives today.

“This will be a test for Labor MPs like Dick Adams as to whether they stand up for Tasmanians or if they are just ALP hacks who take orders from Canberra,” Mr Hunt said.

“On one hand, Mr Garrett wants to lock up the grasslands area. But on the other hand he won’t provide the necessary funding to help preserve them. He can’t have it both ways.”
Senator Richard Colbeck