The federal government must rule out yet another bail-out as the state government scrambles for a way out of the Forestry Tasmania mess, Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne said today.

"The federal government must declare it will not use Australian taxpayer money to yet again prop up Forestry Tasmania," Senator Milne said.

"Tasmania has received more than $1 billion in funding for the forest industry since 1990 and the industry still can't stand on its own two feet.

The news today that swift parrot habitat on Bruny Island will be logged increases the urgency for the federal government to step in and protect this endangered bird, Greens Leader Christine Milne said today.

"I wrote to Minister Greg Hunt last month following revelations the state government ignored expert advice not to log five swift parrot breeding areas," Senator Milne said.

"The Minister is the responsible person for threatened species in Australia and must step in to stop logging of its habitat.

Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne says Tony Abbott has once again made a disastrous captain's call in backing his Liberal ideologues on Tasmanian forests, and now risks repeating the mistake.

"The disaster that is the Tasmanian forest industry is clearly at the feet of Tony Abbott with his stupid captain's call. Don't do it again, Prime Minister.

"Forestry Tasmania is never going to get FSC certification and the blame lies squarely with Mr Abbott and Tasmanian Liberals.

While the flow of taxpayers' money to the logging industry from the 2011 Tasmanian Forests Agreement was guaranteed, there was no legislated up-front conservation outcomes.

In September 2014, the Hodgman government announced $7 million would be available to buy loggers back into the industry. No other Australian workers have had more multi-million dollar payouts to stay in, exit, and stay in than Tasmanian loggers.

The disastrous decision to give accreditation to high-conservation value karri forest logging in Western Australia rings alarm bells for Tasmania, Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne said.

"Major environmental groups have slammed the Western Australian Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) decision," Senator Milne said.

"Environmentalists have been participating in good faith in the current FSC assessment for Forestry Tasmania.

"The WA decision erodes confidence in the FSC process.

Any money left over from the Tasmanian Forests Agreement should be handed back to the federal government, not handed out to Paul Harriss’ forestry mates, Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne said today.

“The Commonwealth gave Tasmania money for specific goals as part of the Tasmanian Forest Agreement,” Senator Milne said.

“The Minister has been clear that the Forest Agreement is dead. If that’s the case, then any leftover money from the agreement must be handed back to the federal government.

28 August 2014

Tasmanian brand trashed by logging decision

“The Legislative Council has trashed Tasmania’s brand by backing the government’s move to log our high conservation value forests,” Senator Christine Milne said today.

“Many Tasmanian businesses rely on our clean, green brand – turning the state into an industrial logging playground will trash it.

Federal budget impact on Tasmania