Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens' Leader
The Green movement has a proud history of standing in defiance of unjust laws which are against the public interest.As Greens' Leader and a lifelong environmental and social justice activist, I absolutely stand by Fraser Brindley and his statement about challenging the law when it is in the public interest to do so.
Tasmanians like Bob Brown, Christine Milne, Nick McKim and Peter Cundall have all been arrested in defence of our environment, and there will no doubt be many, many more arrests of otherwise law-abiding citizens if the Adani coal mine goes ahead.
The criticism of Fraser Brindley for acting in the public interest is in stark contrast to Hodgman Liberals knowingly covering up Damien Mantach's serious crime of theft, thereby allowing him to leave the State to commit a far bigger crime in Victoria.
The Liberals have also delivered the most draconian, undemocratic anti-protest laws in the country.
If they think Tasmanians are going to be bullied into submission by unjust and unjustifiable laws which are currently being challenged in the High Court, they are delusional.
In the most recent sitting of Tasmania's Parliament, a Liberal Premier apologised to LGBTI Tasmanians for past unjust laws. The Hobart City Council has also formally apologised to LGBTI activists who were arrested protesting against these same laws.
Fraser Brindley and three Fairfax journalists were charged but not convicted for exposing the Victorian Labor Party's misuse of people's personal information.
Fraser is a whistleblower. He has made it clear that, if elected, he will stand up for every Tasmanian the Liberals and Labor have abandoned in favour of their corporate mates.
On pokies, forests, fish farms, climate and Tasmania's enduring political culture of crony capitalism, more whistleblowers like Fraser and more Greens in Parliament are needed.
On a myriad of social, environmental and economic issues facing Tasmania, the old parties are corporate lap dogs.
When Mark Shelton is shuffled out by the Premier's office to defend the status quo, it's a sign the Liberals are in trouble.
I agree with Fraser and ACTU Secretary, Sally McManus, that we have a moral responsibility to challenge the abuse of power and unjust, harmful laws.