Media release – Tasmanian Greens, 1 December 2021
Government anti-protest crusade undermines climate action
The Greens have condemned the government’s ongoing anti-protest crusade after a man with a disability was charged and granted harsh bail conditions preventing him from accessing essential services.
The man – who is in a wheelchair – was peacefully protesting in Launceston, holding a sign calling for climate action. He was then imposed a bail condition excluding him from a large area of the Launceston CBD, which he’s required to access frequently for its wheelchair-accessible services.
The man had to breach his bail condition to attend court today to apply to have the bail condition removed.
Greens senate candidate and environmental lawyer, Vanessa Bleyer, represented the man in court today and succeeded in having the bail condition removed, but raised concern that activists are being treated with contempt by Australian governments.
“A joint report by human rights bodies and environment groups released last week found activists are increasingly facing repression by Australian governments.
“The report by the Human Rights Law Centre, Greenpeace Australia Pacific and the Environmental Defenders Office, tracks how pressure from business interests, legal changes and policing tactics have converged to create an environment of repression for those protesting inaction on the climate crisis.
“Today’s court hearing speaks directly to this point. The bail conditions imposed on Mr Palmer were extreme and harsh beyond reason.
“It has become a hallmark of this government to silence, punish or suppress those that disagree with it. Ultimately today’s case exposes the real world consequences of what this looks like in action.
“We know who the real criminals are – those in power who are undermining climate action and ramping up fossil fuel development in a time of climate emergency.”
