Today I read something that has enraged me. I never want my blog to be political or any of that bullshit but today I read that mining companys have started exploration drilling in the Tarkine!
I cant believe this is happening. The Wilderness Society and The Greens are fighting so hard to stop any logging and now its mining...Why, after countless protests and HUGE support to have it listed under National Heritage can this be allowed? Well let me tell you!
* courtesy of the TNC http://www.tarkine.org/
"In December 2010 the Environment Minister Tony Burke allowed the Emergency National Heritage Listing to lapse despite having received an assessment by the Australian Heritage Council recommending a National Heritage Listing. The report which was leaked to the public on 8th March 2011, confirmed the National Heritage values of the Tarkine, and recommended a 434,000 hectare permanent National Heritage Listing.
Minister Burke told the media and the TNC last December that the AHC would need 18 months to complete their assessment, despite clearly having had the completed assessment on his desk two months earlier!
What is apparent is that the interests of miners are being placed above the Minister's obligations to the environment. All three proposed mining projects will have secured Commonwealth environmental permits during that18 month period, allowing them to avoid scrutiny against National Heritage criteria. They will also be allowed to continue exploration drilling and associated access roading without need for Commonwealth assessments."
It breaks my heart. This is a beautiful piece of life that can easily be destroyed and YES I have been there...YES I have seen it with my own two eyes and it is beyond beautiful...It is ancient and glorious and I have to do something to stop this.
I spent most of my childhood spending every available holiday with my Mum, Dad and Sister at Couta Rocks in the NW Tas area....hell of a trip in...dirt roads, huge forests, always a crazy adventure in the 70's. It was my father Don's (dec) favourite place in the entire world, he was an (lic) abalone diver, and somehow we would get Ms Abba (our boat) up and in there, to our shack on a 100 year lease, as did all the other families that have shacks there. My Dad passed away in 1979 and our holidays there ceased with everything else. In the early 90's I had a mate take me up there to revisit my childhood memories and I can tell you, I cried so hard at the destruction that logging had done to the area. It was a disgraceful mess, raped and pillaged and I was determined from that point on that I would do anything in my power to stop this happening to the best of my ability. I joined as a paying member of the Wilderness Society and have been for over 20 years and PROUD to be!
Now its not only logging...they want to mine it.......SOB!!
Please, even if your not a green minded person....Google the Tarkine or follow my link here http://www.tarkine.org/the_tarkine.php....see for your own eyes how this eco system can so easily be destroyed, along with the thousands of species of animals, flora and fauna with it.....this breaks my heart :(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FsAw8HeSvU&feature=related
such a well written piece, meegan, you were indeed privileged to know the area as it is (was?) intended to be. my father died in 1979 too. how's that for a connection! you're father must have been very young then? the accessing in to explore for mining will assist destruction because it will break the canopy, but you know that already. do send this blog to Get Up, urge them to take up this cause, they are effective, oh and as for getting political, if we want to save our environment I'm afraid you don't have any choice. keep up the fight girl, I'm with you. Jen
ReplyDeleteI dont want it destroyed either, But, I live in the Tarkine. Not holiday.Its been mined and prospected for over 100 years and still today.and now you call it pristine or think its wall to wall rainforest? its not. It is an area that has directly helped this State and its people and will continue to do so.
ReplyDeleteNot top mention how hypocritical it is to say plundering the sea for abolone is okay, but touch a working forest and you cry blood.
have a nice day
Phillip Kemp