Media release – Tasmanian Conservation Trust, 12 April 2024
Tasmanian Government Shows Blatant Disregard for Climate Action
The Tasmanian Liberal Government have excluded climate change from their ministries announced yesterday.
Roger Jaensch was formally the Minister for Climate Change, who legislated amendments to Tasmanian’s Climate Change Act in his last term, requiring Tasmania to be net zero by 2030 and produce sector emissions reductions plans.
“In its first days, the Liberal Government is already showing a blatant disregard for the continued demands of Tasmanians for climate action,” said Rachel Hay, Tasmanian Conservation Trust Climate Campaigner.
“lutruwita/Tasmania is now the only state or territory without a minister for climate change, except for Queensland. Whilst every other government in Australia is acting on climate change, the Tasmanian Government appears to have stopped even paying lip service to it.
“We need a Minister for Climate Change to ensure that we make the emissions reductions needed to reach out net zero by 2030 target in Tasmania’s climate change legislation. The Government must act urgently to protect Tasmanian lives and livelihoods from the worst effects of our changing climate.
“We’re already behind on climate action in this state. The Government has not released a finalised Transport Sector Emissions Reduction and Resilience Plan, despite it being required by the state’s climate change legislation in November last year.
“This is not the change that Tasmanians so clearly voted for.”
