Media release – Bob Brown Foundation (BBF), 11 October 2024
Equal Opportunity Tasmania dismisses loggers’ ridiculous claim of discrimination
Four Bob Brown Foundation (BBF) staff have been vindicated in the dismissal of a vexatious claim by Tasmanian logging industry members who were refused entry into a family film screening that they were trying to disrupt.
The bizarre complaint relates to a public event in the Huon Valley where logging industry members tried to disrupt a BBF film screening.
In June 2023, a group associated with Bennetts logging company tried unsuccessfully to disrupt 250 people from seeing the film ‘The Giants’ at the Palais Theatre in Franklin. Two weeks earlier, the same people, including Bennetts logging manager Tammy Price, had blocked the Palais Theatre screen for more than an hour until police arrived, stopping 100 locals from enjoying another unrelated film about forests.
“We are thankful that the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner dismissed this ridiculous complaint against our foundation and staff. The complaint was a waste of the Commissioner’s time investigating this over the past year, when they are understaffed and there is serious and actual discrimination being committed,” said Jenny Weber, Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaigns Manager and one of the accused.
“The attempt to smear Bob Brown Foundation members with ludicrous accusations has failed. The logging industry in Tasmania is continually seeking new ways to harass and intimidate environmentalists. In this instance, the logging industry has abused a process which is meant to protect the most vulnerable Tasmanians. To claim that a bunch of bullies intent on halting a family film screening were discriminated against due to their political beliefs is a new low, even for this industry which continues to destroy Tasmania’s native forests,” said Jenny Weber.
“Our family film afternoon had attracted a capacity crowd of 250 people who came to see the acclaimed documentary The Giants, a biopic of Bob Brown’s life of activism,” said Steven Chaffer, Bob Brown Foundation CEO.
“The small group of loggers who attempted to disrupt our film screening had booked tickets under false names, which we cancelled and refunded before the event. As a result, the individuals who turned up did not have valid tickets and were denied entry,” said Steven Chaffer.
“Our staff simply did what would happen at your local cinema or theatre. They politely pointed out that people without a ticket would not be admitted, particularly when the loggers made it very clear that they planned to disrupt the event film for the 250 audience members, which included many young families. The loggers’ claim that their ‘allegiance to the Liberal party’ was the reason they were denied entry and thus were ‘discriminated’ against is pure bunkum. They were denied entry because they were a threat to the event and to the patrons attending,” said Steven Chaffer.
