Thousands attend environment rally in Hobart, calling for change
Hundreds have taken a stand for climate action on parliament lawns, calling out a lack of policy from the major parties. Read what they have to say
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A huge crowd gathered on Sunday’s Vote Earth rally, calling on the next government to end native forest logging, clean up salmon farming and take real climate action.
Bob Brown Foundation campaign manager Jenny Weber said Labor and Liberal scored “zero” on the election scorecard.
“Both parties are grossly negligent in terms of environmental protections and climate action. We are at a critical time in history, but Labor and Liberal election promises don’t address the climate and biodiversity,” she said.
“We rallied in Nipaluna / Hobart today in a show of unity for the environment and climate, to demand action from the next parliament to protect native forests, Takayna / Tarkine and remove toxic fish farms from our precious waterways.”
Speakers included election candidates Kristie Johnston for Clark, Peter George for Franklin and Rosalie Woodruff.
Tasmania Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said over a thousand people attended the rally.
“People are voting with their voices and voting with their feet here today by showing their support for all the candidates, the Greens and everyone else, who put the environment first at this next election,” she said.
“The Liberal and Labor parties have done in response to the state of the environment report and its report card was devastating. What we’re looking at in Tasmania is a serious decline in all areas of the environment.”
Ms Woodruff said environmental laws need to strengthened, to end native forest logging and to clean up the salmon industry.
“Liberal and Labor parties are utterly in bed with big corporations and developers,” she said. Premier Jeremy Rockliff was asked about Liberal environmental plans to protect native forests.
“We support a sustainable forest industry, sustainable mining, a sustainable salmon industry,” he said.
“Our commitments are there. We’re not about shutting industry down, we’re about supporting the growth of the industry, more jobs and we know full well that our strong environmental credentials are so important to our Tasmanian brand that contributes to record exports.”
To keep a sustainable balance, Mr Rockliff said industry sector “know we need to value, protect, support natural resources.”
“What is important is sustainability,” he said.
“If we’re going to farm for generations, then sustainability is the key.”
Labor MP Janie Finlay said Labor’s plan was good for the environment and Tasmania.
“Labor has a plan to unlock the biggest renewable energy boom in Tasmania’s history through the establishment of Invest Tasmania,” she said.
“The Greens are opposed to every renewable energy project in Tasmania, and after 11 years in government, the Liberals can’t get anything built.”
Originally published as Thousands attend environment rally in Hobart, calling for change
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