Key Points
A Rebecca White Labor Government will commit to managing our natural environment in a sustainable way for the benefit of all Tasmanians, while taking much-needed action on climate change.
We have lived through 10 years of a Liberal Government that’s had no interest in protecting our environment. They’ve kept making commitments but failed again and again to act.
A Labor Government will get on with the work needed to protect our environment and parks, and deliver climate action.
As part of our Plan, Labor will:
- Ban single use plastics by the end of 2024
- Commit to Tasmania’s Climate Change Action Plan and implementation plan
- Invest in a workforce package for our National Parks
- Commit to targets to reduce emissions and focus on renewable energy
- Provide more funding to Landcare to continue its vital work
- Fund the valuable work of Tasmania’s Natural Resource Management bodies
- Deliver the container refund scheme this year
- Produce State of the Environment reports every five years, on time.
Why we need it
Tasmania’s natural resources have been failed after 10 years of Liberal Government.
Tasmania’s Parks and Wildlife workforce is the frontline of our clean, green tourism brand, and yet they have been ignored for years by the Liberal Government. An overreliance on 50 or 100-hour-a-week contracts and chronic understaffing means our valuable natural resources are not getting the care they need.
“A Labor Government will get on with the work needed to protect our environment and parks, and deliver climate action”
The Liberals have also failed to ban single-use plastics or deliver a State of the Environment report or a Container Refund Scheme. If they haven’t done it in 10 years, they never will.
A Labor Government will deliver these programs and work to protect our environment and parks.
The details
Under our Plan for Parks and Environment, Labor will:
1. Ban single use plastics
Labor in Government will get on with the work of banning single use plastics by the end of 2024.
Every mainland state has already imposed bans on single use plastics, but despite Liberal promises, Tasmania has still not banned it.
Labor will get on with banning them this year.
2. Commit to Climate Action
A Rebecca White Labor Government is committed to implementing Tasmania’s Climate Change Action Plan, and develop Plans to reduce emissions across the transport, waste, energy, industrial, agriculture, land use and government sectors.
We’ll also commit to serious targets, including:
- At least net zero emissions from 2030
- A 50% reduction in food waste and a 50% reduction in organic waste sent to landfill by 2030
- 100% electric vehicles in the government fleet by 2030
- Doubling Tasmania’s renewable energy production by 2040
- No loss of fire-sensitive vegetation or other high conservation values in the Wilderness World Heritage Area.
3. Provide more funding for Landcare
A Rebecca White Tasmanian Labor Government is committed to $210,000 per annum ongoing funding to Landcare to maintain its core funding as a peak body.
We will also provide $55,000 to support Landcare groups across the state and $35,000 for Landcare’s Quick Response program. Finally, we’ll provide $15,000 in funding to the Tasmanian Community Landcare Conference and Awards.
4. Fund Natural Resource Management
A Labor Government will provide $4.89 million total in funding for Tasmania’s three Natural Resources Management bodies for the next three years.
The Natural Resource Management bodies deliver $19 return for every $1 of funding and Labor is proud to make this important investment in our future.
5. Deliver the Container Refund Scheme
A Rebecca White Labor Government will deliver a Container Refund Scheme this year.
The Parliament passed legislation with Labor’s support in 2022, but since then nothing has happened.
We will fast-track this Scheme to get it up and running by the end of 2024.
6. Produce a State of the Environment report
A Rebecca White Labor Government will get on with producing a State of the Environment reports every five years, on time.
The Liberals have failed to produce two State of the Environment reports – in 2014 and 2019 – despite being legally required to do so.
Labor will work with the Tasmanian Planning Commission to understand its funding requirements to enable it to do this work.
7. Commit to jobs in Parks and Wildlife
A Rebecca White Labor Government would invest $500,000 in a workforce package for Parks, creating new regional jobs and training opportunities, ending the use of fixed term contracts and creating more permanent jobs.
This will provide more secure jobs and a boost in resources available for bushfire management.
8. Work to reduce the impact of fallow deer
Labor recognises the impact feral deer populations have on our natural environment.
We will work collaboratively with the Parks and Wildlife Service and the Tasmanian Deer Advisory Group to allow recreational hunters to play a greater role in safely managing feral deer populations.
9. Make homes more energy efficient
A Labor Government will provide an incentive program for landlords, with $1,000 available per home for energy efficiency upgrades when the landlord providers a matched contribution.
We will also provide $5 million for energy efficiency upgrades to public and social housing, to upgrade 2500 public and social homes.
10. Build more renewable energy
As part of our Tasmania First Energy Policy, Labor will support new investment in wind power to reduce Tasmania’s reliance on non-renewable energy from the mainland.