Damien Brown Mercury
LOGGING contractors are threatening to take matters into their own hands after protesters caused a seven-hour logjam. They say they are fed up with losing income at the hands of forest activists. As well as the wrath of truckers, protesters face hefty fines of up to $12,000 after bringing the Triabunna woodchip mill to a grinding halt. Seven protesters from Still Wild, Still Threatened were charged with trespass yesterday after allegedly chaining themselves to a conveyor belt 20m in the air at the Triabunna woodchip mill, forcing the closure of the site because of safety concerns. LOGGING contractors are threatening to take matters into their own hands after protesters caused a seven-hour logjam. They say they are fed up with losing income at the hands of forest activists. As well as the wrath of truckers, protesters face hefty fines of up to $12,000 after bringing the Triabunna woodchip mill to a grinding halt. Seven protesters from Still Wild, Still Threatened were charged with trespass yesterday after allegedly chaining themselves to a conveyor belt 20m in the air at the Triabunna woodchip mill, forcing the closure of the site because of safety concerns. Read more here
What Premier Bartlett reckons: Laws won’t stop protests
What Nick McKim says, typingisnotactivism pronounces …
SUPPORT FOR TRIABUNNA PROTESTORS
Activist Heroes Show Up Gutless Governments
Nick McKim MP
Greens Leader and Climate Change Spokesperson
Tuesday, 16 December 2008
www.tas.greens.org.au
The Tasmanian Greens today offered support to climate change activists protesting at Gunns Ltd’s Triabunna woodchip mill, saying that peaceful protest remains a fundamental democratic right.
Greens Leader and Climate Change Spokesperson Nick McKim MP said he is not surprised that young Australians are upset at governments that are too gutless to take strong action on climate change.
“Whether it’s Kevin Rudd or David Bartlett, Australia’s so-called leaders are letting the community down by failing to strongly and urgently respond to the biggest public policy challenge facing humanity.”
“When history is written, these activists will be viewed as heroes who were willing to stand up for future generations and the environment which sustains us all.”
“The protestors are understandably upset that Mr Rudd is too gutless to take on big business, and that David Bartlett is too gutless to take on Tasmania’s timber industry.”
Also on climate change:
typing is not activism….
Yet again, Australia sabotages climate negotiations
It is now almost impossible to believe that the first official act of the Rudd Labor Government was to sign Kyoto. Barely a year after that act, now reduced to almost empty symbolism, Kevin Rudd and his climate change and environment ministers – Penny Wong and Peter Garrett – must own responsibility for a complete surrender on Australia’s carbon reduction. Against all economic, scientific, and even best political advice, Australia has announced a target of 5% carbon emission reductions by 2020, with the possibility of aiming for 15% reductions if other nations work harder. Read more here
