Greens blast Rudd's forest destruction plan

Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd's decision to back Prime Minister Howard's destruction of Tasmania's ancient forests and wildlife has been blasted by Greens Leader Bob Brown.

"In an age of global warming, smashing down Tasmania's great forests - the biggest living carbon banks in the Southern Hemisphere - is immoral," Senator Brown said.

"That Kevin Rudd wants to match John Howard chainsaw for chainsaw is stupid and crass. This Rudd policy announcement comes as Forestry Tasmania begins its annual aerial firebombing of logged forests, dropping napalm-like incendiaries and creating mushroom clouds of greenhouse gas pollution in the atmosphere. Underneath, every flower, feather and fur is exterminated by clearfell loggers. It is a forest holocaust. Most Australians will have expected better of Rudd," Senator Brown said.

"When he meets Nicholas Stern in Canberra tomorrow he should ask about Stern's assessment that burning of old-growth forests globally produces more greenhouse gases than all the world's transport systems. This is a case of a new political leader, acting out of ignorance, making a major blunder. The question is will he come and see these great forests with me?" Senator Brown said.