Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, today welcomed the Bartlett government's decision to dump the Tarkine Road and called on the government to now move for a Tarkine National Park.

"Now is a great opportunity to transfer the funds that had been allocated to the destructive road into our critically under-resourced Parks and Wildlife Service."

News today of researchers confirming a genetically diverse Tasmanian devil population in the state's North West has been welcomed by Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne.

Researchers from the universities of Sydney and Tasmania are hopeful of a natural immunity to devil facial tumour disease being present in the genetic make-up of the North West devils, but Senator Milne has warned there is still a long way to go if we are to save them from extinction.

Greens deputy leader, Senator Christine Milne has welcomed a decision by the Federal Minister for Environment to consider uplisting the Tasmanian devil's status from endangered to critically endangered.

"This is encouraging news from Minister Garrett. Last year I called for the official process of uplisting to be opened following news of the devil's continued decline."

Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Christine Milne has welcomed the emergency heritage listing of the Tarkine wilderness by the Federal Minister for Environment and Heritage.

"Peter Garrett has made the right decision in exercising his powers of emergency listing to protect the natural and cultural values of the Tarkine, in light of the Tasmanian government's proposal to build an environmentally destructive road through the region."

Senate debates: Committees

Senators’ Interests Committee; Report

Brown responds to loggers' lobby

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown has put logging of Australia's native forests on the negotiating agenda with Prime Minister Rudd and the Minister for Climate Change Penny Wong.

"I have explained to the Prime Minister, in detail, the latest research from the Australian National University showing the carbon emissions from logging native forests in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, could be more than ten times (1000%) above government estimates," Senator Brown said.

Senator MILNE (Tasmania) (5:16 PM) -by leave-I move:

That the Senate take note of the document.

I rise today to take note of the government response to a resolution of the Senate pertaining to the proposal by Forestry Tasmania to build a road in the Tarkine wilderness. The motion was moved by my colleague, Senator Bob Brown, and it read:

That the Senate-

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown's motion calling on the Rudd government to halt any federal funding for Forestry Tasmania's proposed Tarkine Road passed the Senate this afternoon without division.

The motion reads: That the Senate-

(a) notes local government and community opposition to a road, proposed by Forestry Tasmania, through a section of the Tarkine forest; and

(b) calls on the Government to ensure no federal funding is used, directly or indirectly, for this road unless or until local government concerns are
addressed.

The Government, Opposition and Family First joined forces today to oppose a motion by Senator Christine Milne noting the fire burning in the magnificent Tarkine wilderness, apparently related to a car accident on the 'Road to Nowhere', and calling for the road to be closed.

Senator Milne said "The fire still ravaging the magnificent Tarkine wilderness is a tragedy that was waiting to happen ever since the 'Road to Nowhere' was opened.

Motion by Senator Brown: That the Senate- (a) calls on the Government to ensure that, in the spirit of the open market, no subsidies, payments or escape of taxes or payments be given to the Gunns Limited's proposed pulp mill in Tasmania; and (b) prefers that if taxpayer support for business is available it go to non-polluting, clean, green and environmentally-sustainable business. For Senate division results, see attached pdf. Only the Greens supported this motion.