Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 8 March 2024
Tasmanians urged to vote for forests, oceans and climate action
Bob Brown Foundation has today released a Vote Wild website and Tasmanian state election scorecard on parties and candidates to inform voters who will protect native forests, oceans, takayna / Tarkine and repeal the anti-protest laws if elected.
“We are making it easy for Tasmanian voters to see who is willing to protect our island’s native forests, oceans, wildlife and democracy and who wants to see it destroyed. Ending native forest logging and removing toxic fish farms from Tasmanian waters are our priority election asks in this state election. Climate action is a priority for Tasmanian voters this election and the best way to solve both the climate and mass extinction crises is to end native forest logging now,” said Jenny Weber, Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaigns Manager.
“This election it is critical to vote for candidates that will confront the marine disaster of industrial salmon farms. These multinational, billionaire-owned companies have the government in their pockets while they destroy our unique waterways and push animals toward extinction. It’s time to get the factory farms of the sea out of Tasmania’s waters,” said Alistair Allan, Bob Brown Foundation Antarctic and Marine Campaigner.
“On this wild and unique island, ancient trees and wildlife habitats are being logged at an alarming rate. Industrial salmon farms are dumping toxic pollution into our ocean’s waterways. Australia’s largest temperate rainforests are threatened by a heavy metals mine waste dump and more new mines. It’s a grim picture, but this is the unfortunate reality of our current state government’s environmental vandalism. Any parliamentarian who risks our future and the future of Tasmania’s unique environment with continued destruction should be voted out,” Jenny Weber said.
“We will be lobbying the next Tasmanian Government, irrespective of whoever forms it, to end native forest logging immediately, remove toxic fish farms from Tasmanian waters, nominate takayna for World Heritage protection and repeal the anti-protest laws, as central and non-negotiable pillars of any policy,” Jenny Weber said.
All candidates were surveyed and scored on their responses and the three current Tasmanian parliamentary parties have been scored on their policies against our 2024 election priorities. Our Vote Wild website scorecard ranks every party and candidate who responded against our election priorities.
Candidates shown on the website scorecard are those who answered the survey. Bob Brown Foundation has conducted an analysis of parties’ current policies if they did not answer the survey.
Bob Brown Foundation’s election campaign includes a Fish Farms Out flotilla in Hobart on Monday 11 March and a March for Forests in Hobart on Sunday 17 March.
