Baker Defends Jacobi

The letter to which these two media releases refer is at the bottom of the page.

Media release – The Wilderness Society, 24 July 2020

The Wilderness Society Tasmania responds to the leaked PWS letter, as reported by the Mercury.

The Wilderness Society Tasmania is not involved in any personal campaigns against Mr Jacobi.

Our issue is squarely about changing poor policy – namely the Gutwein Government’s “unlock the parks” policy, which has, through the tourism EOI process, caused the Lake Malbena controversy.

To clarify: the RMPAT and Supreme Court decisions should not be considered an endorsement of the Reserve Activity Process or of Mr Jacobi’s handling of the Lake Malbena proposal. The Tribunal and Court expressly found that it was not within the Tribunal’s jurisdiction to conduct any review of the PWS/RAA process.

That said, we share the apparent concerns of people working in the Parks and Wildlife Service about it implementing this unpopular policy and helping privatise national parks, exclude existing users and degrade wilderness, natural and Aboriginal cultural heritage values.

Media release – Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens Leader and Parks spokesperson, 24 July 2020

Hapless DPIPWE Secretary Reduced to Pleas for Departmental Loyalty

With his political masters plowing on – in the face of growing opposition – to exploit Tasmania’s public protected areas, DPIPWE Secretary, Tim Baker, has been reduced to begging disaffected staff to show loyalty to Parks Manager, Jason Jacobi.

Mr Jacobi has been in the public glare over his role in enabling the divisive Lake Malbena project and privatisation of Halls Island in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park. We accept Mr Jacobi is just doing his job for a Liberal Government, but his decisions in the role should be open to scrutiny.

The Greens know there are plenty of dedicated State servants in DPIPWE who share deepening community opposition to the Liberals’ Expressions of Interest process. Tim Baker and Jason Jacobi know it too.

Mr Baker’s plea for loyalty towards Mr Jacobi will fall flat with every DPIPWE staff member who joined the agency in order to help look after this island’s public wild lands.