by Tha Lil Birdy geco@green.net.au 03 51540156 Seven conservationists were arrested yesterday in the contentious Ellery forest block, 40 kms north east of Orbost. The tree platform has been removed with one woman arrested. Seven conservationists were arrested yesterday in the contentious Ellery forest block, 40 kms north east of Orbost. The tree platform has been removed with one woman arrested. Another thirty nine year old mother was also removed and arrested from the wooden structure eight metres above an access road. Two women were arrested for obstructing machinery while a further three people were also charged for trespassing in State Forest. Police search and rescue dismantled and removed the thirty metre high tree platform, connected to logging machinery. Police search and rescue failed to remove a young woman from the tree. She remained at the top for a further six hours before climbing down. “The number of arrests highlights the department’s new found ability to respond forcefully, even excessively to peaceful protests. It is evident that these new “anti-public” laws will not silence public concern” said Billy Dain, spokesperson for the Goongerah Environment Centre Conservationists stopped a contracted crane before it could be used to remove a woman from a suspended wooden structure. Two women attached themselves underneath the crane using metal tubing. Four hours later all three women were removed and arrested. “The Bracks government needs to protect the public's Heritage forests, not bring in tacky laws that pretend it’s a solution. It’s time to finally put an end to old growth logging.” He concluded. Further protests are expected. For more information contact Goongerah Environment Centre 03 51540166 checkdapics http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/01/86204.php checkgeco www.geco.org.au p.s. The biggest tree (18.5mbase circumference)in vic,recently found remains in a logging coupe with a 10 metre buffer zone failing to protect the tree's survival from the highland winds
Thank you Chaos for your post. I'm not from victoria originally but I know it is the most densely populated state and also the most intensley farmed. But in spite of this most of its natural bushland remains. But if it were not for the protestors, this will be a thing of the past. Anti-public laws are a joke. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.
grrr Was in a state forest recently (in SA), which had a sign on the gate saying "State Conservation Park". The first kilometre from the road was all pine plantation. Then just over the hill (out of sight of the highway) were treestumps as far as the eye could see - acres of destruction. How can they call that a Conservation Park!??!?! My friend who took me there, told me that years ago it had been native forest - they picked magic mushooms there. Now it's a dark pine forest with no undergrowth. Monocrop. It's so fucked that those protesters who aren't causing harm to anyone got charged with "tresspass" when it's state-owned land. Shouldn't that mean that if you live in the state, that land belongs to you? Or better yet, it should be FREE land, belonging only to itself. But no, the government think they own the land, and can destroy it at will. And we pay them to do it!!! Bring on the hemp revolution!!! www.jackherer.com
