In Parliament under Greens’ questioning, Minister Abetz refused to commit to releasing a report that will stipulate which five native forest lots will be first on Forestry Tasmania’s chopping block. The Liberals’ silence around their plan to clearfell and burn 27 forest lots, protected by the Tasmanian Forests Agreement, shows how desperate they are to keep local communities from knowing whether their special forests are first.
Residents from Lilydale, Golconda, Leven, Fingal and St Marys are mobilising to protect their precious forests. Over the summer, Greens MPs met with many locals who live adjacent to these high conservation value forests. People were angry and distressed by what the Rockliff government is secretly planning.
One of the threatened forests is home to the iconic Panama music festival, held last weekend. Thousands of music – and forest – lovers were shocked when they heard the backdrop to the festival is planned to be clear felled and burned.
Panama organisers and worried Lilydale locals have written to the Minister and Forestry Tasmania for answers, but were fobbed off by him, much as they were again in Parliament today.
The Greens discovered from RTI documents that Minister Abetz was to receive a report detailing the five “most suitable” parcels of FPPF land for conversion to PTPZ by December 2024.
Minister Abetz has refused to confirm both the location of the 27 parcels or a timeframe for the release the report identifying the first 5 for clearfelling.
Minister Abetz is continuing his dismissive and disrespectful approach to Tasmanians, and treating their much-loved high conservation value forests as macabre playthings. The Greens will continue to defend these beautiful and irreplaceable ancient forests, and fight alongside communities to save them.
