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

I recently joined dozens of peaceful activists and forest defenders on a canoe and kayak flotilla on the Arthur River. We gathered together to protest the destruction of coupe FR002A. That coupe sits right at the junction of the Frankland and Arthur rivers in north-west Tasmania, in the heart of takayna / Tarkine. That coupe is being logged by the Tasmanian Liberal government, with support from the federal Labor government.

This place is a forest and river wonderland. It is peaceful and it is beautiful. It's worth defending and protecting for its ancient trees, for all the creatures that make that place their home, for the massive amounts of carbon in its forests and in its soils, and for the stories of the Aboriginal people who have had stewardship of that place since their time began. It's home to threatened species, like the azure kingfisher and the masked owl. We know the endangered masked owl is there, because its call has been recorded over a hundred times and, very recently, it was photographed in that very coupe by inspirational Tasmanian conservationist Rob Blakers.

I want to give a massive shout-out and a heartfelt thanks to the activists, the forest defenders, who have rallied to protect that place, many of whom have been arrested protecting that place. Thank you for your dedication. You all stand on the right side of history. This place should be protected, not destroyed by logging. It's time to end native forest logging, there in Tasmania and right around Australia.