The Tasmanian environmental campaign group Still Wild Still Threatened has called on Tasmania’s Labor/Greens coalition government to back down on its plan to build the Brighton Bypass and agree to demands from Aboriginal activists to change the bypass route.
Still Wild Still Threatened spokesperson Lily Leahy said on March 1 that the group “stands in solidarity with the Aboriginal community in opposing this plan as it will destroy the artefacts and unique values of a 40,000 year-old site.
“The Lower Jordan River valley shows a continued connection of the Aboriginal people to their lands as an important gathering spot for countless generations.
“To continue with the bridge plan is to disrespect the Aboriginal people’s history and culture. The Aboriginal people of Tasmania are a strong community and they will oppose this development to the end.
“Still Wild Still Threatened are standing in solidarity with the Tasmanian Aboriginal community. We are calling on the Tasmanian government to recognise the world-class values of this irreplaceable site and to implement the plan proposed by the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre.â€