Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader
The Greens fully support the takayna defenders facing the Hobart Magistrates Court today.
Ailsa Bennell’s hearing on charges relating to Chinese State-owned mining company MMG's illegal works in 2021, is the first of a further thirty-two protestors facing the same charges. Thirty-eight other forest defenders had charges dropped last year when Forestry Tasmania admitted it had acted unlawfully by closing the road to the mine site.
Tasmanian devil expert and nature champion, Colette Harmsen is also facing court on multiple charges for defending lutruwita’s wild places. If anyone knows the impact native forest logging has on this island’s threatened species, it’s Colette.
These brave women are among dozens waiting to face court for defending takayna, and lutruwita/Tasmania’s carbon-rich forests. There will be many more like them, who the Liberals are enthusiastic about imprisoning under their new anti-protest laws.
Those arrested in takayna or in Tasmania’s forests are nature defenders, on the frontline in the fight to protect Earth.
Unlike the Liberals – and the so-called Labor Opposition - the Greens are proud to stand with them.