Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown today launched an analysis of Tasmania's economic potential which finds 3000 jobs could be created from the $120 million fund promised in the intergovernmental forest agreement.
"This fund has the potential to create more than 3000 jobs in regional areas which would largely replace the 3500 jobs lost from forestry since 2008," Senator Brown said.
"But this money will only flow if there is a strong conservation legislative outcome by June this year.
"I commissioned this report to show Tasmanians the sorts of ideas that could be implemented to create an environment that will help small businesses flourish, with protection of the forests at the heart of reforms."
Bob Brown, 20th January 2012
Throne among the gum trees poignant reminder of a PM's promise
Miranda Gibson is today sitting on a small platform 60 metres high in a Eucalyptus regnans beneath Mt Mueller in central Tasmania. She is intelligent, loves the forest and their wildlife and is, very obviously, committed to saving it. She has been on the platform for more than four weeks and intends to stay until the tree is cut down or the Gillard government in Canberra and Giddings government in Hobart keep their word that this tree, its wildlife and the mountainside forest in which it sits are protected.
Just over the ridge from Miranda is the Styx River and its Valley of the Giants, named after the Eucalyptus regnans (kings and queens of the eucalypts), which tower up to 100 metres high - that is, as high as a soccer field turned on its end.
You can join Miranda's blog and see her on Skype at www.observertree.org
Bob Brown, 16th December 2011
What a year!
Bob Brown, 2nd November 2011An historic vote
Bob Brown, 2nd November 2011Tasmanian forest conservation under threat
Bob Brown, 31st October 2011Tasmanian forest conservation – are we there yet?
Senator Bob Brown press conference - January 18, 2012
Australian Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown releases a background paper on Greens policy on education funding, calling for the decoupling of funding for private and public schools. He comments on the likely success of pokie machine reform and the Greens' proposal for a $1 bet limit and discusses the imminent start of logging in areas due to be protected under the forests intergovernmental agreement.
