2015-10-30
The IUCN’s decision to list the swift parrot as critically endangered should prompt urgent action from the Federal Government.
Greens Senator for Tasmania Nick McKim said the loss of the swift parrot would be an ecological disaster for Australia.
“The Swiftie is trending towards extinction, and the Red List upgrade means the warning bells are sounding loudly, but this is a problem we can fix if we have the political will,” Senator McKim said.
“The Tasmanian and Commonwealth Governments need to start treating this issue with the seriousness it deserves, and the first step should be to get the logging industry out of its habitat.”
Australian Greens forests spokesperson Senator Janet Rice said there were clear steps the Government could take to help save the swift parrot.
“The only way to protect swift parrots and other threatened animals and birds is to protect their habitat,” Senator Rice said.
“Regional Forest Agreements have fundamentally failed to protect threatened animals.
“Rolling over Regional Forest Agreements will only push swift parrot closer to brink of extinction.
“The destructive era of RFAs must now come to an end.”