Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 29 July 2024
Minister’s cozy texts to developers should disqualify him as Minister for the Environment.
Encouraging texts revealed between Minister Nick Duigan and ACEN Chief Executive David Pollington, on the eve of a decision on a TASCAT appeal, have raised questions as to the minister’s capacity to perform his duties in an unbiased manner. The appeal was brought by ACEN against conditions applied by the EPA to their proposed Robbins Island wind farm off north-west Tasmania. The EPA conditions were designed to protect the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot.
“Here we have a minister who is charged with the protection of Tasmania’s environment and our wildlife, actively cheering on a developer seeking to remove protections for the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot. How can the public have confidence that this minister can be the champion our threatened species deserve?”, said Bob Brown Campaigner Scott Jordan.
“Common sense tells us that he can’t be the cheer squad for the destroyers and the defender of the wildlife at the same time.”
“Minister Duigan cannot continue to hold both the energy and environment portfolios. He should resign the environment portfolio to ensure the environment can have an uncompromised minister,” said Scott Jordan
Duigan’s email raises the question of prior communication between the minister and the tribunal, Bob Brown said today.
“Duigan told the Filipino wind farm corporation that he was ‘really looking forward to a positive outcome tomorrow … Will give you a call tomorrow when we know more.’ This indicates that Duigan knew the TASCAT decision was in the bag for the government and he couldn’t resist some insider crowing. The government and TASCAT need to clear the air,” said Bob Brown.
