The Tasmanian Greens will on Wednesday introduce a bill to Parliament intended to halt development of a prison on the government's preferred site in Westbury.
Greens justice spokeswoman Rosalie Woodruff will table legislation to establish the site as the Brushy Creek Conservation Area due to the threatened flora and fauna species within the location.
The bill acknowledges that the site was purchased by the state government through the federal government's Private Forest Reserve Program for the purpose of establishing conservation covenants.
READ MORE: Reckless rider caused his own death
The land was offered to the Tasmanian Land Conservancy in 2011 and the body completed a proposal for the land four years later.
This plan to handover the land to the body for sale changed in 2020 when it was named the proposed site for the new Northern prison.
A fact sheet attached to the bill suggests the failure to protect the land amounted to misappropriation of government funding.
Greens environment spokeswoman Rosalie Woodruff said the declaration of the prison site as a conservation area would honour the federal government agreement.
"Species like the wedge-tailed eagle, masked owl, grey goshawk, Tasmanian devil and the perfect blue pincushion call the Brushy Creek Reserve home," she said.
"The reserve is also important for its role in the wider landscape, forming part of a critical wildlife corridor."
READ MORE: Your guide to the Junction Arts Festival
Dr Woodruff said there were other places in Northern Tasmania where a prison could be built.
"Our bill gives the Liberals a way out of the political mess they created by picking Brushy Creek Reserve as their preferred site to build an enormous Northern prison," she said.
What do you think? Send us a letter to the editor:
Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
