Media release – Tasmanian Greens, 22 November 2021
Greens Urge George Town Council to Play Devil’s Advocate
The Greens are calling on George Town councillors to vote against plans to approve a Low Head development after discovering necessary federal environmental approvals have not been lodged.
The federal Environment Minister has not responded to calls from the community to refer this project for assessment under federal environmental laws. This is despite the proposed development occupying land that provides habitat to federally listed threatened species, including the Tasmanian devil, eastern barred bandicoot and eastern quoll.
The development’s proponent – Low Head Company – has also refused or failed to refer the proposal to the federal Environment Minister for approval despite being called on to do so.
Quotes attributable to Greens Senator for Tasmania, Peter Whish-Wilson:
“The Tasmanian devil is threatened by a cumulative loss of its habitat from land clearing, inappropriate development, and from forestry and mining in our wild areas. Yet time and time again we see inappropriate developments progress without necessary federal environmental approvals.
“The federal Environment Minister should actively intervene in projects that risk our nation’s threatened species from becoming extinct. Given Susan Ley has failed to do so in regard to this project, I urge George Town councillors to do the right thing at tomorrow’s vote and don’t put our devils at further risk.
“This isn’t about shutting down development, but rather making sure it happens in the right place – and Tasmanian devil habitat is not the right place.
“This is also a timely reminder that our federal Environment Minister is considering removing Tasmanian devils from the list of species requiring a recovery plan.”
Quotes attributable to Tasmanian Greens candidate and environmental lawyer, Vanessa Bleyer:
“This case is a stunning example of multiple-level system failure.
“I find it incredulous that documents prepared by Council recommend the proposal be approved despite the fact the land is identified as priority threatened species habitat and may contain ruins of historic value and Aboriginal relics.
“Clearly the Low Head Company should take responsibility for its proposal and self-refer this project for the necessary federal environmental assessments. But if the proponent refuses to do this, then I hope George Town councillors do so themselves.
“I urge the George Town Council to spend no more time on this proposal until it has been properly assessed at the federal level.
“We are in the grips of an extinction crisis; The Greens will not sit by while our iconic threatened species are put at further risk in favour for a few bucks for developers.
“We will never stop advocating for stronger federal environmental laws including a zero-extinction target, stronger environmental protections and an independent watchdog to hold governments and developers to account.”
Images: above, wildlife monitoring camera shot on adjacent land. Below, Tasmanian devils have been sighted during the day on the actual land subject to the proposal.
