Cassy O’Connor MP Greens Environment Spokesperson Friday, 20 March 2009
THE Tasmanian Greens today called on Premier David Bartlett to reveal whether his government is preparing to sell-off two blocks of land in North-East Tasmania that contain critical mature breeding habitat for the endangered Swift Parrot, at the very same time that the Premier is issuing letters to concerned Tasmanians which spruik the benefits of his proposed program to plant Swift Parrot foraging habitat.

Greens Environment spokesperson Cassy O’Connor MP said the Premier should be moving to incorporate the two blocks into the adjoining Humbug Point State Reserve which would be a win for the local community, and increase the amount of reserved breeding habitat for the Swift Parrot.

Ms O’Connor also said there is a very big difference between Swift Parrot foraging habitat, and Swift Parrot breeding habitat, and the Premier’s recent letter appears to be exploiting confusion over this difference while his government ruthlessly clearfells or sells-off breeding habitat around Tasmania.

“The Greens are calling on Labor to clarify whether the government intends to sell-off two blocks of Crown land without any regard for the Swift Parrot breeding habitat that exists on the blocks, and without any attempt to covenant the blocks in order to retain that breeding habitat,” said Ms O’Connor.

“If so, then the Greens are calling on Labor to do the responsible thing, and include this land into the adjoining Humbug Point State Reserve.”

“Swift parrots can forage in flowering Bluegum forests, but for breeding and nesting they require mature Eucalypt forests that are becoming increasingly scarce under Bartlett Labor.”

“Premier Bartlett is using the crucial difference between the age of the Parrot’s foraging and breeding habitats to sow confusion over his latest unscientific plan to spend an unknown amount of taxpayer’s money planting foraging habitat.”

“The Bartlett Government should be well aware of the need to retain mature forest as breeding habitat – their own Parks And Wildlife Service pamphlet states quite clearly that ‘[a]reas with mature eucalypts, where nectar production is plentiful and reliable, are critical to the [swift] parrot’s overall survival,’ and that ‘[t]he loss of blue gums due to land clearance is the major threat to the swift parrot’s long term survival.’” [i]

“Why is the Premier wasting public money publicising his plan to plant Swift Parrot foraging habitat, when other arms of his government are clearfelling critical breeding habitat, or preparing to sell it off?”

“If the Premier wants people to believe his government is genuine in its concern for the Swift Parrot, then he will protect this land rather than just issuing letters,” said Ms O’Connor.

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[i] “CARING FOR NATURE: Swift Parrot Habitat,” Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service Pamphlet, http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/file.aspx?id=7021

Attached: Premier’s Swift Parrot letter, received 20 March 2009.