I've written to Minister Tanya a number of times and am still awaiting a response. But for reasons unbeknown to myself I have penned another useless letter.
To write to TP you can use this website:
Or post snail mail here:
My letter if you are keen:
Tuesday 18th February 2025
Wanted: A consistent national approach to reversing biodiversity decline
Dear Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek
I met with you in Burnie in 2022 regarding the plight of the Tasmanian devil and other endangered species in the region known as Takayna/Tarkine, which includes the southern hemisphere's largest tract of temperate rainforest. Since we met I have not heard any response from you and so I am writing again to express my concerns regarding proposed forestry and mining in the heart of the Takayna/Tarkine in North West Tasmania, and also concerns regarding the native forest logging industry in Lutruwita,Tasmania.
I was born in Nipaluna/Hobart in 1976. I graduated from my bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc Hons) at the University of Queensland in 1999. Since working as a field veterinarian with the State Government run Save the Tasmanian Devil Project (STDP) from 2006 to 2014, I have been actively campaigning to defend wildlife and wild places in Lutruwita/Tasmania and I am now a full time volunteer wildlife defender and peaceful forest activist with the Bob Brown Foundation. I am writing to you to express my concern about proposed forestry and mining ventures in the area known as Takayna/Tarkine, and to urge you to list the area known as Takayna/Tarkine as a world heritage status national park for the protection of its endangered species and threatened ecosystems.
As a veterinarian with a special interest in wildlife, I have made a solemn vow not only to promote the health and welfare of wildlife and to relieve animal suffering, but also to prevent animal suffering. I do not take these responsibilities lightly and I believe that the welfare of all flora and fauna and especially endangered wildlife is being compromised due to forestry and mining practices in Lutruwita/Tasmania.
Devil facial tumour disease (DFTD) has wiped out 80 percent of Tasmanian devils. The Australian Newspaper revealed on the 26th of July 2012 that Professor McCallum, former chief scientist to the federal and state government-run Save the Tasmanian Devil Program, and Griffith University’s Professor of the Department of the Environment, urged the government to consider the "aggregate impact" of three Venture mines on Tasmanian devils, particularly from road kill, and to consider habitat destruction as a risk to populations of devils.
Painting by https://www.avivareed.com/
There has already been significant damage to Takayna/Tarkine by roading, forestry operations, mining and bushfires and further destruction continues. You must act now to secure this area for the endangered species including the Tasmanian devil. Given the perilous decline of the devil in areas affected with DFTD, this surely demands that every precaution be taken to prevent further decline of this keystone species. As Federal Minister of the Environment – it is very irresponsible of you to put mining and forestry industry interests before protection of this and other important endangered species. These species are relying on YOU.
Just because there is provision for mining in wilderness with world heritage values, this should not be used as an excuse to allow mining to go ahead. To the contrary, it strengthens the need for you as the Federal Minister of the Environment to prevent impacts on endangered species and for you to take a commanding position to protect Takayna.
A multitude of other threats are associated with mining and forestry and consequent increased access into remote wilderness areas. These include deliberate and accidental ignition of wildfires, increased risk of diseases (such as chytrid fungus), poaching of animals (e.g. the EPBC-listed Astacopsis gouldi), introduction of weeds, spread of pest animals, and roadkill as a food source that supports elevated populations of feral and native scavengers (such as cats and forest ravens). It is difficult to predict the extent of these threats in relation to forestry and mining proposals, and very difficult to adequately mitigate them once they exist.
With regard to the Tasmanian devil I would like to highlight the uncertainty surrounding the impact of habitat destruction and land clearance on healthy Tasmanian devil populations. Griffith University’s Professor of the Department of the Environment and former University of Tasmania environmental scientist Professor Hamish McCallum has suggested that roading for new mining and forestry could have a tenfold increase in roadkill of the endangered Tasmanian devil. TENFOLD
Increased traffic of heavy vehicles would markedly reduce the populations of Tasmanian devils in an area where devil populations are still relatively high despite the recent arrival of DFTD. Roadkill should be listed as a key threatening process to native wildlife like the Tasmania devil. This creates urgency to calls for protection of Takayna under National Heritage Listing.
In December 2009, Takayna was listed as a National Heritage Area by Peter Garrett following an Emergency National Heritage Listing. In December 2010, the federal environment minister, Tony Burke, wilfully allowed the emergency listing to lapse in the face of numerous mining proposals in Takayna. This was despite recommendations from the Australian Heritage Council to permanently list Takayna. This was done with full understanding that mining companies including Venture Minerals would use the removal of the heritage protection to intensify exploration activities including roading and drilling that are having a significant effect on the values of the area, and increase the risks to this important Tasmanian Devil population.
As part of your ministerial role you are meant to develop a consistent national approach to reversing biodiversity decline in important ecosystems and ecologically significant communities. But it appears that your consistent national approach is to do the exact opposite. In fact you seem to be unashamedly supporting industry at the expense of the environment in many areas. I guess you could call that a consistent national approach.
Yours sincerely
Dr Colette Harmsen
PO Box 102
Blackmans Bay 7052
And get ready for more of this:
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