Rosalie Woodruff, Tom Allen slam Tasmanian government over Wilderness World Heritage Area

Recently, UNESCO's state of conservation report outlined several concerns regarding the TWWHA and has asked a cultural assessment to be undertaken before any development proceeds.

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Questions were put to Environment Minister Roger Jaensch but a government spokesperson confirmed the government was seeking advice over the matter.

"The Tasmanian Government will work with the Australian Government and the State Party, in undertaking an assessment of the impact of the World Heritage Committee's decision and to clarify its scope and implications," they said.

UNESCO raised issues with the state government's Tourism Master Plan, as well the ongoing tourism Expressions of Interest process.

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The state government and commonwealth government wanted to change some of the wording around the decision.

Tom Allen from the Wilderness Society Tasmania, welcomed the request for a cultural assessment.

"We agree with UNESCO that the logical approach would be to conduct the cultural assessment first and pause any further tourism development but believe that this logic will be ignored because, in reality, the Gutwein Government has a development-at-any-cost approach and its talk about conservation and 'sensitive development' is essentially meaningless," said Mr Allen.

The EOI process has previously been the subject of a probe by the Auditor-General and labelled "secretive" by the Tasmanian Greens party.

A helicopter service at Halls Island in Lake Malbena has been floated as one of the EOI process concepts.

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Acting Green leader Rosalie Woodruff said the decision had put the state government "firmly on notice" over its handling of the TWWHA.

"The World Heritage Committee have put the Gutwein Government firmly on notice. Any development that impacts upon the World Heritage Area's Outstanding Universal Values must be referred back to the Committee," she said.

"This decision means the Liberals' EOI development proposals must all be sent to UNESCO, including those for Lake Malbena and the South Coast Track."

Labor was contacted for comment.

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