Tasmania’s peak environment body has urged all three political parties to use the state election campaign as an opportunity to announce major policies to further protect Tasmania’s natural environment.

“This election is a great opportunity for our politicians to catch up to community expectations on protection of Tassie’s outstanding natural environment,” said Dr Phill Pullinger, Director of Environment Tasmania.

“Tasmanians’ overwhelmingly have a strong desire to see the creation of new jobs in sustainable industries and the development of a future for Tasmania that protects and celebrates our natural heritage, wildlife and landscapes. However, these expectations are currently not being met.”

“We are hoping and anticipating that all three political parties will look to win votes during this election period by committing to major policies that protect our natural environment and grow new sustainable jobs,” said Dr Pullinger.
“This includes committing to a policy that protects native forests & secures timber jobs, committing to establish a well-funded stand alone environment & lands management agency, committing to the protection of our coasts and the establishment of a series of marine national parks.”

“Tasmania also has the opportunity to be a world leader on climate change – and stimulating new jobs through a renewable energy feed-in tariff, protecting our native forests and ruling out the burning of native forests for power are all crucially important policy commitments for all three political parties,” he said.

Environment Tasmania is Tasmania’s peak environment body, an umbrella body that represents more than 20 conservation & environment non-government organisations across the state with collective representation of over 5000 Tasmanians.