[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Rudd Government Cuts Fox Eradication Program_C O'Connor MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

RUDD GOVERNMENT DELIVERS A MASSIVE BLOW TO FOX TASKFORCE

Decision to Slash Federal Funding Puts Unique Tasmanian Species at Risk
of Extinction

Cassy O'Connor MP
Greens Environment Spokesperson

Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today condemned the Rudd Government's decision to
place an identified 78 Tasmanian native species at risk by slashing
funding to the Fox Eradication Program in one of the most short-sighted,
high-risk funding decisions Federal Labor has made so far.

Greens Environment spokesperson Cassy O'Connor MP said Commonwealth
funding to the Tasmanian Fox Eradication Program has been more than
halved from $2.5M in 2008-09 to just $1M in 2009-10, with the pressure
now on the State to do everything in its capacity to convince the Rudd
Government to reverse its dangerous decision.

"If foxes become established in Tasmania, species such as the Eastern
Barred Bandicoot, Pademelon and the New Holland Mouse, would face the
very real threat of extinction," Ms O'Connor said.  

"The Federal Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, is either ignorant
about the nature of the threat posed by foxes in Tasmania, or he is in
denial.  Either way, gutting funding to the Fox Taskforce and limiting
it to an annual allocation without any certainty from year to year, is
short-sighted and high-risk in the extreme."

"The onus is now on the Tasmanian Government to present the facts to Mr
Garrett.  He must be told there is clear and irrefutable DNA evidence of
the presence of foxes in Tasmania, the only Australian State where foxes
have not become established and the only Australian State with animals
such as the Eastern Barred Bandicoot and the Bettong."

"Mr Garrett must also be told the Fox Eradication Program has engaged
with and gained the respect of the wider community for its excellent
work to date.  The Program is now at a critical point in the eradication
effort - there is still a chance for Tasmania's wildlife - it needs more
resources, not less."

"The Greens call on Minister Llewellyn to tell his Federal colleague
that it's not good enough, and that he won't sign the Commonwealth State
Funding Agreement on foxes until a more realistic, scientifically-based
funding offer is made in the best interests of Tasmania," Ms O'Connor
said.




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