In a Tasmanian hearing of the Joint Select Committee on Energy Matters on Monday, Robbins Island proposed developer ACEN’s Michael Connarty revealed that the company has proposed to offset 1,000 hectares on Robbins Island against impacts on the last disease-free population of Tasmanian Devil.

“Dr Connarty has distilled the lunacy of this project. To offset the impact of a massive influx of vehicles, the disruption of habitat and the building of a bridge that exposes every devil on the island to Devil Facial Tumor Disease, ACEN will draw a 1,000 hectare line and pretend the devils in that area are magically protected,” said Scott Jordan, Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaigner.

“Faced with the reality that there is no other place the disease has not reached and therefore no available offset for compromising the last disease-free stronghold, ACEN wants to pretend that the impacted area can be the offset. It’s madness.”

“The Tasmanian Devils on Robbins Island are believed to be free of Devil Facial Tumour Disease, so everything must be done to protect their habitat on the island. Fencing, roading and increased traffic on the island will jeopardise devils living on the island. Offsets will not help devils as they cannot read maps or comply with move-on orders. The well-known and ignored Tasmanian Devil roadkill hotspot on Montague Road will see increased devil roadkill because roadkill mitigation measures are virtually nonexistent and devils travel during the nighttime and daytime in that area,” said veterinarian Colette Harsmen.

“Minister Plibersek should not be hoodwinked by this. She should reject this project,” said Scott Jordan.

“In continuing the farce, Dr Connarty railed against delays in the company’s approvals, however, it is the company that has failed to submit Environmental Impact Statements for assessment of their transmission lines a full four and a half years after they referred the project for assessment. ACEN also completely revised the size and scope of its project during its appeal to TASCAT last year. Delays in the process lay right at the feet of ACEN. If they don’t provide the data, it cannot be assessed and no amount of crocodile tears can change that,” said Scott Jordan.