TAS: Seven activists charged in Tassie climate change protest

AAP General News (Australia)
12-16-2008
TAS: Seven activists charged in Tassie climate change protest

By Paul Carter

HOBART, Dec 16 AAP - Seven anti-logging activists have been charged with trespass over
a dawn raid on a Tasmanian pulp mill.

Fifteen activists from the Still Wild, Still Threatened action group launched the protest
to express their anger over the federal government's "pitiful" targets to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions.

The group stormed the Gunns Ltd woodchip mill at Triabunna, on Tasmania's east coast,
about 4.45am (AEDT) on Tuesday, their spokeswoman Ula Majewski said.

Ms Majewski said seven of the activists chained themselves to equipment at the mill,
halting production and backing up scores of laden log trucks.

Police Inspector Andrew Fogarty said four protesters secured themselves to logging vehicles.

Three others climbed operational equipment used to distribute wood chips into stock
piles where they secured themselves to the railing, he said.

"The seven protesters were removed from their positions by specially trained Search
and Rescue personnel using cutting equipment," Insp Fogarty said.

"The seven protesters were arrested by police and taken to Bellerive Police Station
where they were charged with trespassing.

"All were bailed to appear at Hobart Court of Perry Sessions on February 10."

Insp Fogarty said the protesters present at the mill were "extremely well behaved and polite".

"There was no conflict between any of the parties today and this was because the protesters,
logging contractors, police and Gunns staff behaved very well and avoided potential problems".

Ms Majewski said Tuesday's action was aimed protesting the federal government's white
paper on climate change and Gunns Ltd's continued decimation of Tasmania's extremely carbon-dense
forests.

"We think that the Australian government's targets are absolutely pitiful and the Rudd
and Bartlett governments need to take real action on climate change, she said.

"One very good way they can do this is immediately legislate to protect all of Tasmania's
old-growth and high-conservation-value forests."

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Monday said his government would seek to reduce the nation's
carbon emissions by five per cent of 2000 levels by 2020.

The target would rise to 15 per cent if a global pact on climate change, including
major emitters, is signed.

The targets are well below what scientists say nations must achieve to avert catastrophic
climate change.

A Gunns Ltd spokesman said the company planted about 15 million tree seedlings a year,
more than any other company in Australia.

AAP pc/bwl

KEYWORD: CLIMATE PROTEST TAS WRAP (PIX AVAILABLE)

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