It is time for the Gillard Labor-Green Government to outline how it plans to stop fringe environmental group attacks against legitimately operating Tasmanian businesses.
Senator for Tasmania Richard Colbeck made the call in response to Environment Minister Tony Burke’s rejection of a wholesale heritage listing for the Tarkine region.
“Already, we have prominent Greens – including Senator Peter Whish-Wilson – alluding to long-term conflict in the region,” he said.
“There will no durability or certainty for anyone until we remove some of the specific provisions which protect extreme fringe environmental groups and start treating everyone by the same set of rules.
“The Greens party leadership must also stop inciting conflict.
“The only ones constantly threatening conflict are the Greens and their radical fringe group friends and allies.
“It shows how empty green promises of peace really are.
“These groups are suggesting to the World Heritage Commission that it list an additional 806,000ha of this State. [1] That is madness, but you can be assured without some sensible checks in place, they won’t rest until these reckless ambitions are realised.
“Unfortunately the message from Tony Burke through the sham forest process is, the more conflict you create the more concessions a weak government will make.
“What chance of any peace when government gives that message?”
1 http://whc.unesco.org/en/soc/496
SENATOR THE HON RICHARD COLBECK Senator for Tasmania Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries and Forestry Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation, Industry and Science
