Minister Eric Abetz says he won’t apologise for backing Tasmania’s forestry industry, as an activist group accuses him of spreading misinformation and misleading the public.
On Friday, members of the Grassroots Action Network gathered outside Abetz’s Bellerive office, protesting the senior minister’s claims that the native hardwood industry is renewable, sustainable and world-class.
“We have some of the worst practices in the world,” spokesperson Hugh Nicklason argued.
“We’re still clear-felling, we’re still logging old-growth, we’re still wasting the vast majority of forest biomass.”
The group has labelled Abetz the “chief spin doctor for ecosystem destruction” and is demanding an end to logging practices in the state.
“Some people want to have healthy, sustainable ecosystems and land management and some people just want to pillage it,” Nicklason said.
In a statement, Abetz stood by his comments.
“Ending native forestry in Tasmania would lead to more logging in overseas forests, often with fewer environmental protections than our own,” he said.
“I make no apologies in standing up for it and the genuine grassroots Tasmanians it supports.”
The activists have called for a meeting with the minister and said it was up to him to reach out.
“He is in direct violation of Palawa law. We ask that he immediately cease the one time, mindless, greed-driven destruction of Lutruwita’s forests and our country,” Pakana man Cody Gangell said.
“Come and meet with our people so that we can discuss a way forward that isn’t at the expense of our beautiful pristine forests, our land, our animals and our people.”
