The Tasmanian Greens welcome the NSW Government’s decision to finally create a Great Koala National Park. It shows they recognise native forests, with the endangered species they contain, have more value standing than being logged and burned. With Western Australia, Victoria and now NSW ending native forest logging in threatened species’ habitat areas, it is past time for Tasmania to do the same.
The Greens salute the community and environmental groups, and our NSWs’ colleagues, who have fought long and hard for this win.
Tasmania’s State of the Environment Report, published last year, called for more land reserves to protect the habitat of threatened and endangered species such as the swift parrot, masked owl and Tasmanian devil. The Liberal Government has so far refused to accept that recommendation.
The first and easiest action for this Liberal Government would be to permanently end the logging of native forests, protect the giant levels of carbon they store, and the animals and plants they contain.
The Greens know Tasmanians would welcome the creation of new national parks, or an extension to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Tasmania has so many special, still unprotected places – from the north-east highlands, the great southern forests, Takayna and the Spero-Wanderer Wilderness – with habitat for critically endangered and threatened species.
Just as existing national parks do, these world-class forests can become protected landscapes that would bring long-term social benefits for all Tasmanians, and enable our precious species to thrive for future generations.
