Eric Abetz needs to come clean with Tasmanians about the next phase of his logging plan of high conservation value reserved forests, and any backroom dealings made between the Liberals and Labor.
A newly released RTI received by the Greens shows the environment department was commissioned to produce a detailed report of five priority areas slated for logging. This key document in the Liberals’ escalating forestry agenda was due to be completed in December. Communities across Tasmania are wondering whether the forests they love, which they understood were protected, are about to be logged.
A separate new RTI also raises serious questions about Labor secretly negotiating with the Liberals to support the logging of these precious forests. The major parties have long been in lockstep on native forest logging, but stitching up such a deal behind closed doors would be a disturbing new low. Given Labor’s string of major backflips under Dean Winter, the community have a right to be concerned and to hear their position.
Tasmanians deserve to know exactly what the Liberals are up to. Minister Abetz needs to tell communities which forests he’s putting on the chopping block first, immediately release the environment department report and its Ministerial Minute, and disclose the details of all dealings with Labor over the logging of these protected forests.
