SIX women have been charged over a protest at the Forestry Corporation (FCNSW) office in Coffs Harbour on Wednesday, 23 April.
The group employed devices that included pipe arm locks as they occupied the roof of the Park Street building from around 9.30am and unfurled banners next to the FCNSW logo that read, “End Native Forest Logging Now” and “We destroy it. You pay for it”.
By 1.30pm, all had been arrested and removed from the building by the Police Rescue Squad and taken to Coffs Harbour Police Station where they were charged with “offensive conduct whilst on inclosed lands”.
The women, aged between 24 and 65, say they were highlighting how FCNSW has been found guilty of multiple logging breaches and has cost taxpayers many millions in fines and legal fees.
“Forestry Corporation runs at a loss, so the community purse is paying them to push endangered wildlife like koalas and greater gliders to extinction,” said protestor Daisy Nutty.
Another group member, Jayde Haven, said, “Forestry Corporation routinely breaks the rules, felling habitat trees, fudging harvest numbers, damaging old-growth rainforest, polluting streams and creeks and pushing threatened species to the brink, all funded by NSW taxpayers.”
A third protestor, registered nurse Juliet Lamont, said, “We are on the brink of a climate catastrophe”.
“We have all experienced it with recent floods and cyclones edging further south.
“Our governments are showing no visionary leadership, so ordinary citizens are being forced to show the way forward.”
NSW Nationals MPs condemned the protest.
Gurmesh Singh, the Member for Coffs Harbour, said their actions were both reckless and dangerous.
“What we saw was by no means a peaceful protest, but an illegal stunt that put their own lives and the lives of emergency services personnel at risk,” he said.
“It’s completely unacceptable behaviour and enough is enough.”
Member for Oxley Michael Kemp, said protests have also taken place in the Orara East and Brother State Forests in recent weeks.
“Not only are these unlawful demonstrations putting people in direct danger, but [they are] pulling vital emergency services resources away during the busy holiday period.
“Our forestry industry is the most sustainable in the world.
“Protesting should be carried out in the right way that doesn’t delay production, hurt local businesses, and threaten the livelihoods of hardworking Australians.”
“We are ordinary women,” Ms Lamont responded, “and didn’t do anything to halt production anywhere or threaten anyone’s livelihood.
“No one wants to climb onto roofs and face arrest but good people historically can protest bad laws.
“It is our moral duty to save what is left of our precious native forests.”
The women were released on conditional bail and will appear in court on future dates.
By Andrew VIVIAN
Michael Kemp our local member needs a strong correction note here. His words, “our forestry industries are the most sustainable in the world”.
The scientific and observational evidence is a against this. Australia is listed as a deforestation Hotspot, alone among developed nations.
Here’s observational evidence from an old man. In the 1960s I worked in the industry in two states. North coast hardwood was prized for it’s dimensions and qualities. Sixty years later, no longer is it readily available for house frames. Logs harvested today are immature and suitable for short pallet lengths and woodchips. A majority of mills have shut down. The supply isn’t there. The industry and in particular Forestry Corporation are in denial about the lacking resource. Time to wind up logging native forests and let them recover.