Environmental activists have forced the shutdown of a timber mill in north-west Tasmania.
Two women were arrested on trespass charges at the Ta Ann veneer mill in Smithton on Tuesday, as a week-long campaign against native forest logging escalates.
Tasmania Police confirmed a 70-year-old South Australian woman and a 23-year-old Western Australian woman were taken into custody.
The Bob Brown Foundation said 20 “forest defenders” had occupied the site, with at least one person locking themselves to infrastructure.
Anna Markey, a retired schoolteacher and grandparent, was among those who locked on at the facility.
“I am disgusted and terrified that the government here subsidise this foreign company to destroy and profit from our beautiful native forests,” she said.
“Every tree counts. All forest life matters at a time when fires, floods and heatwaves are destroying our homes.”
“These companies must leave the forests now.”
The foundation said the protest marked day two of a planned week of action, with participants travelling from across Australia to take part.
Two tree-sitters spent the night in trees in the Lake St Clair area, while protesters continue to occupy the forests in the Central Highlands.
In response, Ta Ann Tasmania’s General Manager Robert Yong described the actions as a disruption to a “fully complying lawful business that adds value to sustainable supplies of hardwood logs”.
“Their attack on Ta Ann puts the employment and health and safety of employees going about their business at risk,” Yong said.
“They are misguided because their campaign is based on wrong information.”
“Protestors are showing poor judgement and should support companies like ours that value and use regrowth and plantation log supplies.”
