Colette Harmsen Released After 3-Month Prison Term

Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 13 October 2023

Tasmanian forest defender released from prison after 3 months

Dr Colette Harmsen, a veterinarian and forest activist, has today been released from Mary Hutchinsons Women’s Prison after serving a three month sentence relating to her defence of Tasmania’s native forests. Dr Harmsen is the first woman in Tasmania to be sentenced to a prison term for environmental activism.

“Thank you to everybody who has given me their support over the past 3 months. My jail sentence has been made so much more bearable with your words of encouragement and love. But honestly – we shouldn’t have to do time for standing up and demanding a safer planet, for demanding a clean and healthy environment to live in, should we?” said Dr Colette Harmsen.

“The government and the judicial systems keep thumbing their nose at the state of the environment and the unfolding climate emergency. They are behaving as though they do not have to do anything about it. It’s time we held them accountable for their environmentally destructive decisions. It’s time we forced them to uphold our basic right to a clean and healthy environment. I didn’t do this to be remembered. I did this to remind people to act now for our whole planet.”

“The legal system has to stop silencing the voices of compassionate caring communities who are sick of the government dragging its heels when it comes to proper environmental protection and a proper response to climate change. Time to start punishing those who choose to contribute to the climate emergency and who make our world a more perilous place in which to live. We refuse to be silenced because the ongoing endangerment of our planet is complete madness. Silencing peaceful protestors is complete madness. And we will continue to risk our freedoms because a safe and healthier world is worth so much more than a broken planet.

As Peter Cundall, the fantastic environmentalist, used to say:  Never, ever, ever, give in!” said Dr Harmsen.

“Colette is an inspiration for the majority of Australians who want an end to native forest logging. It is notable that her release from jail coincides with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to Hobart where he endorses the flattening and incineration of Tasmania’s wild forests and wildlife. It is Colette, not Anthony, who stands for the public sympathy on the environment,” said Bob Brown.

Featured image above courtesy Karen Brown.

Media release – Vica Bayley MP, Greens Environment spokesperson, 13 October 2023

Thank You Colette Harmsen

The Tasmanian Greens stand in solidarity with Dr Colette Harmsen and offer our sincere thanks for her commitment and the sacrifices she has made in defending lutruwita/Tasmania’s wild places.

A Tasmanian devil expert and nature champion, Colette has spent the past three months in prison for the so-called ‘crime’ of protesting against native forest destruction in Tasmania. Her passion and determination in the face of these harsh and unjust consequences has set a powerful and inspiring example.

Colette is the first environmental activist jailed in Tasmania for more than a decade, but she will not be the last if the Liberals – egged on by Labor – continue to encourage the appalling destruction of this island’s globally unique forests.

As shown by the dozens of forest defenders arrested in recent times, more people than ever understand the importance of protecting these beautiful, biodiverse, carbon-rich wild places. Tasmanians from all walks of life have made it clear they will not be deterred by the Liberals’ anti-democratic attempts to crackdown on peaceful protest.

Unlike the Liberals and Labor, the Greens are proud to stand with and support Colette and every other person who is doing what they can to put a stop to the senseless logging and burning of vast tracts of forests.

Today we welcome Colette with open arms, and express our deepest gratitude for all she’s been through in the name of protecting this beautiful island, its many threatened species, and its ancient, carbon-rich forests.

We wish Collette well as she rejoins family and conservation colleagues.