Australia’s forestry and fisheries need urgent solutions to secure a liveable planet for all of us, including forests, oceans and their wildlife, said Bob Brown Foundation (BBF) campaigners as the Prime Minister appoints a new minister to the portfolio.
 
“Our new Forestry Minister must secure the future of the job-rich plantation industry and end native forest logging immediately. Across this nation, the majority of Australia’s voters want an end to native forest logging.  New federal Forestry Minister Julie Collins knows that 79% of Labor voters support ending native forest logging on public land across Australia. Ms Collins’ electorate is one of the only places in the world where the critically endangered Swift Parrot breeds and is home to the globally significant southern forests that are still being flattened by taxpayer-subsidised logging.  It is time for the Labor government to end the climate-damaging, wildlife-killing native forest logging industry for the benefit of all communities,” said Jenny Weber, BBF’s Campaign Manager.
 
“As the new Fisheries Minister, Julie Collins’s first order of business must be to step in and act to protect the Maugean Skate from extinction. The Maugean Skate will be the first animal in the world to go extinct due to fish farms if there is no action from this government.”

“The previous Fisheries Minister completely ignored the plight of the Maugean Skate. It’s time for the new minister to take her government’s promise of no new extinctions seriously and remove fish farms from Macquarie Harbour,” said Alistair Allan, BBF’s Antarctic and Marine Campaigner.