Peaceful Protesters Case Dismissed

In a massive victory for free speech, seven Tamar Valley residents who had been arrested whilst peacefully protesting outside the Premier’s community Cabinet meeting in Beaconsfield on the 4th October last year, had their case dismissed in Launceston Magistrates court today.

In delivering his findings, Magistrate Reg Marron accepted that all defendants had genuine concerns about the Pulp Mill Assessment Act, the controversial act of Parliament that fast tracked the approval of Gunns’ Tamar Valley Pulp Mill.

Magistrate Marron made special note that the members of the Peaceful Community Protest group ‘Pulp the Mill’ had acted in a ‘very disciplined manner, in silence and did not obstruct the movement of people or traffic’, and although he found all protesters guilty of trespass he dismissed all cases except for one protester who had previously been found guilty of trespass in a forest protest. She was given a two year good behaviour bond. All other protesters in Launceston Magistrates Court had no prior convictions.

“This is a great victory for free speech and peaceful civil disobedience” said Pulp the Mill spokesperson Lucy Landon-Lane. “We are delighted that the court has recognized our concerns about the corrupt process that approved this mill. I live across the river from the proposed Pulp Mill site, and if it is ever built, it will destroy mine and many Tamar Valley Residents’ livelihoods”, she said.

Pulp the Mill has repeatedly called for a Royal Commission into the process surrounding the Pulp Mill Assessment Act, a position echoed by the report “Leveling the Playing Field” Commissioned by Environment Tasmania on reform of the Forest Industry in Tasmania.

“Only a Royal Commission with full retrospective powers can undercover the way in which the Tasmanian people were victims of corruption of the highest order” said Lucy.

Nine more protesters are due to face the same charge of trespass in Hobart Magistrates court tomorrow.