2015-09-21
Newly appointed Tourism and International Education Minister Richard Colbeck will need to embrace Tasmania’s wilderness values to be a success in the role, Australian Greens Senator Nick McKim says.
“He needs to realise that Tasmania’s wilderness underpins our tourism sector by attracting tourists and international students to Tasmania to visit,” Senator McKim said.
“Senator Colbeck is the only Tasmanian representative in this Government, and as the minister responsible for two of the state’s competitive strengths he should start working to protect the things that make Tasmania worth visiting.”
Senator McKim congratulated Senator Colbeck on his new roles, but said his track record as a Parliamentary Secretary was not an encouraging sign.
“Senator Colbeck tried to shrink the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, and supports logging and mining in the WHA,” said Senator McKim.
“He was also responsible for the disastrous decision to allow the Geelong Star super trawler to fish Australian waters.”
Senator McKim said the demotion of Senator Eric Abetz was a positive for Tasmania.
“While there are no Tasmanians in Cabinet, having no voice is actually preferable to the politics of division that Senator Abetz elevated into an art form,” Senator McKim said.
“With any luck, some more progressive voices may finally emerge from the Tasmanian Liberal Party in the coming months and years.”