“Radical activists” have been warned that they could end up behind bars for continually storming Tasmanian forestry sites with the goal of stopping work.
Several members of the Grassroots Action Network and the Bob Brown Foundation entered a coupe in the West Kunanyi Range on Monday.
One activist suspended herself 40-metres above the ground, while others positioned themselves on logging machinery.
Minister Felix Ellis categorised the behaviour as “completely unethical”.
“We have strong anti-workplace invasion legislation here in Tasmania and it’s simply not on to be stopping people going to work legitimately in any of our productive industries,” he said.
“We’re seeing a cost of living crisis in our country at the moment and for people to stop people going to work, stopping small businesses earning an income in a legitimate and sustainable industry is nothing but disgraceful.”
The workplace protection legislation, introduced in 2022, sets out penalties for, among other things, people that illegally attach themselves to equipment or unlawfully enter land.
Ellis said it would be “interesting to see the process going forward with these activists” as police continue to work through further incidents on a “case-by-case basis”.
“We’ve had successful prosecutions already under the new legislation and it’s a strong deterrent for people that they should not be doing these kind of workplace invasions,” he said.
“It’s the wrong thing to do and you can wind up in serious trouble, including jail time.”
“No one’s above the law and if you do the wrong thing in Tasmania and commit a crime that deserves jail time, you’ll be sent to jail.”
