The Morrison government’s bill handing federal environmental powers to the states and territories is the biggest legislative sell-out of Australia’s environment since federation, Bob Brown Foundation said today.

“This is Scott Morrison handing Australia’s wildlife and wild country and seas to the wolves. The worst exploiters wanted it: Morrison is not just cutting green tape, he is handing them an elephant gun of ecological elimination,” Bob Brown said.

“Had this biocidal bill been in place in earlier years, the Franklin would be dammed, Fraser Island logged, whale flensing would be still ‘creating jobs’ in Western Australia and there would be oil rigs on the Great Barrier Reef. A feature is what is missing after repudiation of Graeme Samuel’s key recommendation for an environmental ‘cop’ or policing agency to enforce national standards. Instead we will get state oversight like that of the Tasmanian Forest Practices Authority which effectively logs and incinerates wildlife-filled old growth forests.”

“Sussan Ley is the minister for disempowering herself. If she and the prime minister really wanted a ‘one stop shop’ for environmental approvals they should have taken powers from the eight states and territories and vested them in Canberra. This scattering of environmental power leaves the corporate exploiters to more easily bulldoze weaker state governments.”

In five years, Bob Brown Foundation has recorded over 1800 species of flora, fauna, fungi and more in the threatened takayna / Tarkine, as the conservation group has been calling for a World Heritage listed National Park and return to World Heritage listing of the north west Tasmanian region.

This evening, Bob Brown Foundation will host a virtual event this evening as part of National Science week, to celebrate five years of Tarkine BioBlitzes.

“Our BioBlitz is both the largest and the longest running citizen science event in Tasmania. It is hosted annually each November in the Tarkine region and to date, has helped record over 3200 observations of more than 1800 species of flora, fauna, fungi and more – and has brought over 500 scientists, citizens and into the Tarkine,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaign Manager Jenny Weber said.

“We started our Tarkine BioBlitz as citizen science can improve conservation efforts by building scientific knowledge, encouraging public action and raise the alarm that threatened nature is far more important left intact than destroyed.  In takayna / Tarkine we are losing ancient ecosystems, unique flora and wildlife to logging, mining and off-road vehicle recreation,” Jenny Weber said.

Federal Court challenge launched last evening.

Bob Brown Foundation is mounting a Federal Court challenge to logging of native forests in Tasmania because the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement between the state and commonwealth does not accord with the federal Regional Forest Agreements Act 2002.

“The RFA Act requires there to be enforceable environmental arrangements between Canberra and Hobart for forestry operations to ensure protection of endangered species. BBF’s case is that the RFA is not legally enforceable, especially for the system of reserves and the requirement for ecologically sustainable forest management (ESFM),” Bob Brown Foundation lawyer Roland Browne said today.

“Moreover, an RFA is meant to “provide for” ESFM, but here, the Tasmanian RFA allows the Tasmanian forest management system (of laws and procedures) to be amended by Tasmania when and how it pleases without reference to the Commonwealth,” he said. “BBF’s case is that this is not good enough.”

“Tasmania’s RFA is different to Victoria, where the Victorian system is required to be accredited by the Commonwealth.”

“Here in Tasmania, the state does what it likes under the protection of the RFA,” Roland Browne said.

Brown calls for laws to protect Tarkine

Today, two brave Tarkine defenders were arrested at the proposed Riley Creek mine site in takayna / Tarkine in Tasmania's North West. Colette Harmsen and Joseph Roe were arrested after locking themselves onto the entrance gate and machinery at the site. They have now been removed.

"I agree with Guy Barnett but what is needed to end people campaigning to save the Tarkine are laws to protect and return it to the Aboriginal people of Tasmania. The current laws allowing the Tarkine, one of the world’s last unprotected wild and scenic areas, to be logged and mined for short term profits, should be banished to last century. This Riley Creek venture is a precursor for much worse – all for out-of-state profiteers and at the expense of long term jobs in the tourism and hospitality industries,” said Environmentalist Bob Brown today.

Brown’s comments are in response to Minister Barnett claiming today’s environmental protest means the draconian anti-protest laws should be passed by the Legislative Council.

"People are taking action across the globe for the sake of planet Earth. Today we stand for takayna / Tarkine where immense intrinsic values span vast swathes of this majestic landscape, unscarred for hundreds of generations. What is happening here is ecocide. It will not be tolerated," said Erik Hayward, Bob Brown Foundation Campaign Organiser.

"Today we have seen that in the face of Government action and intimidatory legislation, members of the public will continue to stand up for the heritage values of takayna / Tarkine and the species like the Tasmanian Devil and Spotted-tailed Quoll that rely on it.”

"People like Colette and Joseph who were arrested today in defence of takayna / Tarkine should receive awards, not infringements. We thank them for their passion, and are sure that many Tasmanians share our gratitude. Our campaign to defend and protect takayna / Tarkine will continue as there should be no new mines in the world heritage value Tarkine," said Scott Jordan, Bob Brown Foundation Tarkine Campaigner.

Conservationists have halted site works on the controversial Riley Creek mine site in takayna/Tarkine this morning. Activists have locked on to the gate of the mine site, and to machinery on the site to prevent further destruction.

Venture Minerals' proposed Riley Creek project iron ore strip mine is opposed by conservationists including the Bob Brown Foundation.

"Riley Creek is in an area of known Tasmanian Devil and Spotted tail Quoll habitat, in a region that has been independently verified as having both National Heritage and World Heritage Values", said Bob Brown Foundation’s takayna/Tarkine Campaigner Scott Jordan.

"With question marks over the validity of Venture's permits, the Federal and State Environment Ministers should be here to stop this mine and defend the heritage values of takayna. As they are not, we have gathered in a peaceful vigil with members of the public who will,” Scott Jordan said.

"This project has courted condemnation at every turn. Ventures' investors should understand that public opposition to their planned ecological vandalism will not go away".

A coalition of environment groups has welcomed Sustainable Timber Tasmania’s (STT) disastrous FSC (Forestry Stewardship Certification) audit result because of its ongoing destruction of critically endangered Swift Parrot habitat and old growth forests.  

Bob Brown Foundation, The Wilderness Society, Tasmanian Conservation Trust, BirdLife Tasmania, Forestry Watch, The Tree Projects and XR Tasmania have called the audit report damning for Tasmania’s Government as STT continues to destroy Tasmania’s climate and wildlife storehouses.

“STT fails on many accounts including its ongoing removal of the critically endangered Swift Parrot’s habitat, failing to update their old growth mapping after fire, and continuing to log old growth forests.  The audit shows major deficiencies and proves old growth forests and threatened species are not safe under STT,”  Bob Brown Foundation’s Jenny Weber said.

“The audit stated the STT has improperly logged old growth under FSC rules. The Gutwein government must recognise that logging of old growth forests has no place in the 21st century,” The Wilderness Society Tasmania’s Campaign Manager Tom Allen said.

“The vague agreement between DPIPWE and STT that the government claims will protect 10,000ha of forest for the Swift Parrot was heavily criticized by the auditors as being insufficient to protect Swift Parrot and satisfy FSC requirements. To meet the requirements of FSC, the Gutwein government must develop a plan to protect all Swift Parrot habitats across the state,” Tom Allen said. 

A pro-Adani horse rider, who knocked down and injured an anti-Adani Convoy woman at the Wangan and Jagalingou Water Festival at Clermont in central Queensland last year, has pleaded guilty to “Negligent Acts Causing Harm, Obstruct Police Officer, Common Assault and Trespass”. In the Emerald Magistrates Court this morning he was fined $2000 with no conviction recorded.

According to an ABC story on 16 March this year, “Thirteen protesters from Frontline Action on Coal (FLAC) each received fines of up to $8,000 on Tuesday in the Bowen Magistrates Court, after they chained themselves to coal-loading equipment at the Abbot Point Port in January.”

The Stop Adani Convoy was organised by Bob Brown Foundation. “A difference here is that horse-rider McDonald may not have thought out the consequences of his actions. All of us involved in the ongoing campaign to stop the Adani coal mine are doing it thoughtfully, to turn around the destruction of the Great Barrier Reef and so much more of the natural planet which we feel duty-bound to hand on safely to coming generations,” Bob Brown said.

“The bigger crime here is the totally unnecessary opening up of the Galilee Basin coal lode by billionaire Gautam Adani in pursuit of more money, up to $3 billion of which will go to a family trust in the Cayman Islands, according to another ABC report.”

Today’s announcement of 10,000 hectares of the Southern Forests of Tasmania getting a stay of execution, while 58,000 hectares more is targeted for logging, is one step forward and five steps back by the Gutwein government on the urgent road to saving Tasmania’s rare and endangered species from extinction, Bob Brown Foundation says.

“Sustainable Timbers Tasmania (SST) has already wrecked a far greater area of vital habitat for Swift Parrots than this small area earmarked to be saved but not protected as national park,” Bob Brown said.

“Other critical areas for the Swifties, especially the Wielangta Forest on the east coast, have been ignored and face the chop,” Brown said. (No map of ‘saved’ areas was released.)

“This agreement is way short of ending the logging and burning of native forests in Tasmania, rapidly eroding habitat which is critical for the survival of species like the Swift Parrot, Tasmanian Devil, Wedge-tailed Eagle and the world’s largest freshwater crayfish, Astacopsis gouldi. The most compelling reason for this loss to Tasmania is so a few investors can flog woodchips to China. It should stop. Our forests will be much more valuable for jobs as well as lifestyle if they are kept vertical in the forest rather than horizontal on a truck.”

“The federal government’s primary responsibility for protecting endangered species’ forest habitats in Tasmania has been met with unmitigated failure,” Brown said.

Bob Brown Foundation has condemned the announcement by Venture Minerals that they would commence mining at Riley Creek in the Tarkine and vowed to continue opposition to this destructive and unnecessary project.

"This unlawful project is being shepherded through by the EPA and the Federal Environment Minister despite the expiration of permits", said Bob Brown Foundation takayna/Tarkine Campaigner Scott Jordan.

"We call on the Minister, and the Director of the EPA to immediately act to prevent this action."

Bob Brown Foundation are considering options to oppose this action.

The Bob Brown Foundation’s best-selling guide to takayna / Tarkine is now an app. Launching on Thursday night, Bob Brown will be joined by Australian rugby legend David Pocock, Patagonia Australia’s Shannon Bourke and Stefanie Rieder-Haas, co-Head of CSR with German outdoor company ORTOVOX.

On Thursday 13th August, Bob Brown Foundation are launching the stunning app version of our successful guide to takayna / Tarkine. The new app will give people a guide to explore takayna / Tarkine using their favourite digital device. The online event for the launch starts at 5:30pm.

You can register in advance to take part remotely via Zoom here. 

The app provides maps and detailed route descriptions for some 100 walks, rafting trips and bike rides through the wilds of takayna / Tarkine. Illustrated with photos of the mountains, rivers, coastline and wildlife of this spectacular wilderness, the app allows you to plan a walk, river trip or bike ride ranging from 30 minutes to 7 days.

Our Tarkine Trails app was designed and built by the talented people at Bit League and generously sponsored by ORTOVOX who visited the Tarkine in 2019 from Germany and are supporting our campaign to protect this magnificent area.

The app is available for purchase from the Apple App Store right now and Google Play from Thursday 13th August.

“Our Foundation is campaigning for secure protection of one of the last wild places on Earth, including the largest temperate rainforest in Australia, as a World Heritage-listed National Park and return to Aboriginal ownership.

With the Tarkine Trails app we look forward to introducing more and more people to the delights of takayna / Tarkine as we continue to work for its secure protection from logging, mining and off-road vehicle damage,” said Bob Brown Foundation Campaign Manager, Jenny Weber.

“Across mountains, down rivers, along coasts, through forests: Tarkine Trails / takayna makuminya, with its splendid photographs and maps, is the definitive guide for adventurers to the Tarkine,” Bob Brown said.