The Victorian Greens say Labor has hit new lows this week - caving to lobbyists, leaving loopholes for logging, and proving it can't be trusted on the environment.
Yesterday, the Allan State Labor Government released its response to the Great Outdoors Taskforce, gutting its own promise to create new national parks after the end of native forest logging.
Premier Jacinta Allan banned the Taskforce from investigating new national parks soon after taking office - walking away from Labor's 2019 pledge to deliver the "largest environmental protection plan in Victoria's history."
The watered-down plan leaves 1.8 million hectares of public forest open to future logging, mining and development, abandoning the long-awaited Great Forest National Park backed by Sir David Attenborough and the late Dr Jane Goodall.
It follows Labor's quiet Friday-afternoon release of the long-buried review of the Wildlife Act 1975, which the Labor Government had refused to release for four years despite multiple parliamentary orders compelling its release.
The report shows Labor rejected key expert recommendations - including listing feral deer as pests and regulating duck hunting - delivering yet another win for the shooters' lobby.
As stated by Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell:
"Labor's blown a once-in-a-generation chance to protect Victoria's forests. Labor has betrayed the environment and broken their promise to Victorians.
If we needed any more proof that Labor doesn't care about the environment, this is it.
When Labor lets the shooting lobby write our environmental laws and leaves loopholes for logging, it's clear they care more about keeping their political options open than actually doing anything to protect the environment"
