[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Bartlett Fails Forests Leadership Test_T Morris MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

BARTLETT MUST SHOW LEADERSHIP TO RESTORE CALM IN THE FORESTS

Not Join the 'Blame the Victim' Brigade

Tim Morris MP
Greens Shadow Police spokesperson

Sunday, 26 October 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today described as a "shocking lack of leadership"
Premier Bartlett's decision to join the 'blame the victim' brigade over
recent frightening violent attacks upon peaceful forest activists,
saying that what is needed is a clear and unequivocal statement
condemning all violence and intimidation.

Greens Shadow Police spokesperson Tim Morris MP said that the leadership
for which Tasmanians have been crying out, is for someone to implement
the Tasmania Together forest protection recommendations immediately, and
to establish a forest transition strategy to shift the industry to a
viable low volume, high valued added basis.

"This shocking lack of leadership by Premier Bartlett reportedly joining
in on the forest industry tactic of blaming the victim regarding these
appalling acts of violence is bitterly disappointing and irresponsible,"
Mr Morris said.

"Tasmanians need to hear from their leaders a clear and unequivocal
statement condemning violence without the 'ifs' and 'buts', which can be
construed as a tacit condoning of vigilante-style violence against one
group of people within our community."

"Premier Bartlett is also trying to deflect from the fact that he could
resolve these matters swiftly by being the first Labor Leader to have
the guts to implement the forest protection recommendations from the
Tasmania Together process initiated by his hero, Jim Bacon, but which
has since been put into the too-hard basket by Labor."

"The sad irony of this situation is that these forest activists are
attempting peacefully to protect the very forests that Labor's own
Tasmania Together process identified as deserving protection, yet
basically Premier Bartlett has thrown these young people to the wolves."

"This is not the leadership Tasmania needs and deserves, and it
definitely is not 'kind and connected' either," Mr Morris said.




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