Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Minchin. Given the Prime Minister’s promise in his now infamous 2004 election forest policy entitled ‘Preserving Tasmania’s old-growth forests’ and his ‘immediate protection’ of 18,700 hectares of old-growth forests in the Styx and Florentine valleys and along the eastern boundary World Heritage area, can the minister explain why the heavy machinery yesterday went into the very area the Prime Minister promised the nation before they voted for him would be protected? Will the government immediately intervene to stop all forestry activities in the area to give effect to the Prime Minister’s promise of forest protection in the Florentine?