2021-09-01
The Greens have condemned Environment Minister Sussan Ley for lifting a ban on Venture Minerals trucking ore at night along a 112km stretch of critical Tasmanian devil habitat.
Greens Senator for Tasmania, Peter Whish-Wilson said:
“Tasmanian devils are endangered and their recovery from the infectious cancer that decimated their population in other parts of the state has been fraught.
“As our nation’s Environment Minister, Sussan Ley has been tasked with safeguarding our beloved state icon and ensuring it’s provided every possible chance for a speedy recovery.
“Rather than aid the recovery of Tasmanian devils, Sussan Ley has left them to become mining-industry roadkill.
“It’s not like Minister Ley had to do anything other than enforce the condition that was already in place, and that was a ban on trucking ore at night along a critical stretch of Tasmanian devil habitat.
“It’s important to note that this ban is a temporary decision, made ahead of the Tasmanian devil breeding season, to benefit Venture Minerals only.
“Venture Minerals simply wants to get more trucks to port before ore prices stabilise again – and the Government is letting them pay for it with Tasmanian devils.
“Venture Minerals operates within the takayna/Tarkine area which holds natural and cultural values that have been recommended, but ignored, for National Heritage listing.
“This is a very deliberate decision to prioritise political interests in the marginal seat of Braddon over the survival of the Tasmanian devil.”