PREMIER MISLEADS TASMANIANS OVER NEW SWIFT PARROT HABITAT

Just Another Bartlett Thought-Bubble

www.tas.greens.org.au
The Tasmanian Greens today accused Premier David Bartlett of misleading Tasmanians when he committed during his State of the State address in March this year to undertake a five-year program to plant bluegums as foraging habitat for the critically endangered Swift Parrot, when, eight months and one planting season later, not one tree has been planted.

Greens Environment spokesperson Cassy O’Connor MP said that while the Premier’s promised bluegums are not being planted, his government continues to destroy mature habitat for the Swift Parrot on Bruny Island, with couple SBO10B now earmarked for logging during the coming Swift Parrot breeding season.

Ms O’Connor also said that the promised bluegums, that have not yet been planted, are likely to be in the form of plantations and logged by Forestry Tasmania before they are anywhere near suitable for foraging by Swift Parrots.

“David Bartlett told Tasmanians he would plant 500 hectares of bluegums every year for five years as foraging habitat for the critically endangered Swift Parrot, but eight months and one planting season later we understand not a single tree has gone into the ground,” said Ms O’Connor.

“David Bartlett is forging a well-earned reputation as a Premier who says one thing in public, and then does another in private.”

“When questioned on the veracity of his State of the State pledge this morning, the Premier twice failed to give a straight answer.”

“The Premier’s replanting plan, which was much-lauded by himself, but which has been useless so far, came directly from Forestry Tasmania, and it is no surprise that the planted bluegums will be logged in the future. I believe that this is not about the Swift Parrot at all, but about Forestry Tasmania using the Parrot, and the Premier, to take control of another 2500 hectares of plantation while distracting from the continued logging of the Parrot’s habitat every day.”

“The Swift Parrot is critically endangered because its preferred nesting habitat, mature wet Eucalypt forest, has been pulped for a pittance by the Labor Government over the past decade. Labor are masters when it comes to clearfelling and destroying habitat, and then misleading Tasmanians about what they will do to remedy the long-term problems that their logging causes.”

“David Bartlett should come clean with Tasmanians and reveal why he announced a plan in March that has gone nowhere in the ensuing eight months, while his government continues to enable the continued destruction of the declining areas of mature habitat that the Swift Parrot really needs,” said Ms O’Connor.
Cassy O’Connor MP Greens Environment Spokesperson