Liberals Environment & Parks Commitments welcomed

Environment Tasmania has welcomed today’s commitment from the Liberal party to re-establish a stand-alone environment and parks department, support the Parks & Wildlife service and commit to a private land conservation fund.

“Tasmania’s natural environment has been desperately under-recognised, under-valued and degraded over recent years. Given that our natural environment is such a critical part of our identity, economy and future, this is totally unacceptable,” said Dr Phill Pullinger, Director of Environment Tasmania, “Our Parks & Wildlife service and environment agencies have been systematically run-down, de-funded, and have been crippled by conflicting interests by being housed within a department that also looks after resource industries,” he continued,

“The commitment by the Liberal party to establish a fully independent and properly resourced Environment & Parks department will be a critically important reform for the protection of Tasmania’s natural environment, and is warmly welcomed,” he said,

“We also welcome the commitment to funding for private land conservation. This will help protect important rare landscapes and threatened species on private land in Tassie – which is also important given that private land contains some of our most under-reserved habitats,” he concluded.

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.
Dr Phill Pullinger Director Environment Tasmania The Conservation Council