The Tasmanian Greens today welcomed the Federal Government fulfilling its commitment of $7 million dollars to manage new reserves, but called for the Liberals to stop sending mixed messages on forestry.
Greens Leader Nick McKim said that there was still no clear commitment from the Federal Government to honour its signed agreement for $9 million dollars in indexed annual funding, to manage the reserves in perpetuity.
“We need an immediate commitment from the Commonwealth to provide to Tasmania an annual indexed payment of $9 million for the ongoing management of our world-class reserve system,” Mr McKim said.
“That was the signed agreement, and that’s what needs to be delivered.”
“The forests will be there in perpetuity, and so should the funding for managing the proposed new reserves.”
Mr McKim said the Coalition’s ongoing threat to log in the World Heritage Area was reckless and politically motivated.
“These forests have been included in the World Heritage Area because of their outstanding universal value, and the Liberals’ plan to log them is akin to mining the great pyramids of Egypt for road gravel.”
“The Liberals want to plunge the community back into the conflict and division that most Tasmanians want to move past.”
“Even the Tasmanian timber industry is now openly pleading with the Commonwealth to leave the World Heritage Area alone.”
“If the Liberals want to go ahead and rip up the World Heritage Area, then they can kiss goodbye to market access and new jobs in forestry.”
Nick McKim MP Greens Leader
