Tasmania’s Greens have thanked Bob Brown and his fellow activists for their work that led to them getting arrested during a forest protest on Monday.
Greens Leader Rosalie Woodruff said the party has a proud history of forest defending and stated that the Bob Brown Foundation was ‘doing what needs to be done’ in defence of the state’s wild places.
“Time after time, it’s left to the conservation movement to stand up to Labor and the Liberals’ joint environmental destruction agenda,” she said.
“In a climate and biodiversity crisis, protecting native forests should be a priority for the Liberal Government. Instead, they’re logging and burning swift parrot habitat and releasing mass carbon emissions.”
“When governments fail, good-hearted brave people step up. We thank Bob and all forest defenders for their tireless advocacy for these beautiful, ancient places. Their courage and strength inspire us all.”
Despite the potential for imprisonment, Brown said he was prepared to serve time behind bars.
“There are trees there over three metres in diameter that they’ve cut down … These are beautiful young Eucalyptus regnans with centuries more life,” he told WIN.
“It is risking jail time, a potential 18 months in jail. A second offence, a potential 3 years in jail.”
Fellow activist Collette Harmson, who previously served time in prison for chaining herself to logging machinery, said she was heading straight back to the forest.
“I’ll be going back there. I got arrested this morning for trespass, they bailed me,” she said.
“I think we need to protect these places before they’re gone forever, even if that means spending more time in prison,” she said.
