Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

[by video link] The takayna/Tarkine contains unique and precious Aboriginal heritage, spectacular wilderness and Australia's largest tract of temperate rainforest. It is deeply saddening that environment minister Sussan Ley recently refused to list it for the national heritage protection which it is so worthy of and which it is overdue for. Just yesterday the same minister amended Venture Minerals' permit for their Riley mine in the Tarkine to remove a condition that ore could be transported only during daylight hours. That condition was imposed to protect threatened Tasmanian devils from becoming roadkill at night. Now, thanks to a minister in the thrall of the mining sector, it will be open slather, with ore-laden trucks travelling 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and it is Tasmanian devils that will pay the price with their lives. Once again, profits take precedence over wildlife and nature. This is the very attitude that is causing our climate to break down around us and is causing the mass extinction event that we are living through. It's no wonder that Professor Graeme Samuel recently found that the EPBC Act is 'not fit to address current or future environmental challenges'. Obviously, given her track record, nor is the minister.

I want to end by sending a massive thankyou to the brave people who are working in the movement and who are on the ground and putting their bodies on the line to protect takayna/Tarkine from the loggers and the miners. You are the true heroes of our times, and history will record you as such.