The Greens have hit back at Federal Minister Chris Bowen, saying the biggest betrayer of native forests is a Labor party which has spent decades publicly subsidising their destruction at state and federal level.
"Labor is a party of forest destruction. We will not cop a lecture on forests from a Minister who has publicly funded the industrial logging industry and is part of a government that is approving new coal and gas mines hand over fist," Australian Greens Forests spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.
"Bowen is a hypocrite and a climate fraud with a track record that shows he cares nothing for nature or forests."
"The biggest threat to native forests is climate change, and his support for clearing and burning native forests is impossible to reconcile with strong climate action."
"Bowen's personal track record of subsidising forest destruction includes gifting over $50m to Railton Cement to convert its boiler to burn Tasmanian native forests."
"He is also part of a government that just months ago budgeted $28m to help prop up native forest logging."
"Chris Bowen and the Labor party have the blood of countless forest-dwelling creatures on their hands. For him to now claim he cares for Australia's native forests is the height of hypocrisy, and the Greens aren't falling for it."
"Here's a tip for Mr Bowen - the quickest, easiest, cheapest way to reduce Australia's emissions is to immediately stop logging native forests."
"The federal government has all the powers it needs to protect forests and bank the emissions reduction. If he really cares, he can work with the Greens to make it happen.
