CELEBRITY gardener Peter Cundall will fight charges arising from an anti-pulp mill protest in Hobart last year.
Mr Cundall, 82, and 14 others pleaded not guilty in the Hobart Magistrates Court this morning to charges of disobeying police directions.
The arrests were made on November 19 when 56 mainly elderly protesters refused to leave the steps of Parliament House.
Outside court Mr Cundall said he will act as a “test case” on behalf of the majority of the protesters.
“I will not plead guilty because if you feel you’ve done nothing wrong, well therefore you can’t say you’re guilty,” Mr Cundall said.
“All I’ve done basically was stand outside the house of parliament with a few others … protecting the integrity of our own parliament, it’s as simple as that.”
The protesters are outraged by special legislation passed through the Tasmanian Parliament to speed up the approval process for Gunns’ Tamar Valley pulp mill.
“The Parliament of Tasmania, which I think is quite precious, has been brought into disrepute by forcing through legislation in relation to the pulp mill,” said Mr Cundall, who lives in the Tamar Valley, a wine region in northern Tasmania.
“I belong to no political party, I don’t belong to any organisation, I’m just an individual and I believe in telling the truth, it’s as simple as that.”
The case was adjourned until March 15.
