Geoff Law Wilderness Society
“It’s time for me to have a break from this role and for someone else to have a go,” said Mr Law.

MEDIA RELEASE 4 December 2008

LAW TO RESIGN AS WILDERNESS SOCIETY TASMANIAN CAMPAIGN MANAGER

Geoff Law is resigning from his position as Tasmanian Campaign Manager for the Wilderness Society, effective from 19 December 2008.

Mr Law has been the Tasmanian Campaign Manager since October 1999. It has been a hectic time, with forests and the pulp mill usually at the top of the Tasmanian political agenda. Those nine years have seen high-profile battles to stop the proposed Tamar Valley pulp mill; to protect oldgrowth forests; and to save wilderness areas in Tasmania’s south-west, the Tarkine and the Styx valley.

The Wilderness Society has sought expressions of interest in the position. Pending the process of appointment, Vica Bayley will be acting Campaign Manager.

“It’s time for me to have a break from this role and for someone else to have a go,” said Mr Law.

“After a few months’ break, I hope to continue to make a contribution to the Wilderness Society’s campaigns on a part-time basis that involves more contact with the wilderness areas themselves.”

Mr Law said that the Wilderness Society had gone through enormous growth in the last nine years, with a massive increase in its Tasmanian membership and with many more campaign and support staff in Hobart. The oganisation has played leading roles in campaigns that have delivered additional forest protection – particularly in the Styx and Tarkine, significantly wound back the clearing of forests for plantations, and wrestled the pulp-mill project to a standstill. The biggest disappointment of those nine years was the abject failure of the Howard Government to keep its 2004 election promise to protect oldgrowth forests in the Florentine, Weld and north-east highlands.

Mr Law said that there have been numerous personal milestones since 1999 as well, having built a house and had a child, Elliott, with his partner Amanda; been sued by Gunns; and written a book.

“Amanda and I want to have a bit more time together in the outdoors with Elliott. I also want to start a long walking project – trekking from east to west and then north to south across the island of Tasmania through critical high-profile forests such as the Blue Tier, Great Western Tiers, Tarkine, upper Derwent, Florentine, Styx, Weld and Picton,” Mr Law said.