Lib Dem MP, Norman Baker, today led a protest at the Australian High Commission and, with a representative from Friends of the Earth, met with the Deputy High Commissioner to deliver a letter pressing for action to halt the destruction of Tasmanian old growth forests. The letter also calls for the government to safeguard freedom of speech in the light of legal action by Tasmania's foremost logging company, Gunns, to gag people who oppose their forestry practices.
Gunns, the company responsible for 75% of logging in Tasmania, has filed a $6.3m lawsuit against 20 environmental campaigners, politicians and individuals who oppose the logging of old growth trees and the use of 1080 poison which kills indigenous wildlife. Mr Baker's Early Day Motion in the House of Commons, which condemns Gunns@ legal action, has attracted cross-party support from 109 MPs.
The protest outside the High Commission is one of many taking part all over the world as part of the International Day of Action organised by the Rainforest Action Network and Friends of the Earth.
Speaking about the protest, Norman said:
"I am pleased to have had the opportunity to lobby the Deputy High Commissioner in London and to continue my campaign to save Tasmania's old growth forests. It is totally unacceptable that Gunns is trying to stifle freedom of speech and deny Tasmanians the right to protest against the destruction of some of the world's most unique and majestic forests. Their legal 'slap suit' is unscrupulous, undemocratic and unacceptable.
"I have only recently returned from a visit to Tasmania where I saw swathes of beautiful, old-growth hardwood forest and temperate rainforest being clear felled and fire bombed from the air only to be replaced by monoculture plantations with all the biodiversity of a car park. In my short time in Tasmania I saw the most shocking examples of the destruction of one of the world's most pristine eco-systems. This is why I took part in the protest today and met with the Deputy High Commissioner to call on the Australian government to put an end to this madness and preserve the forests for generations to come."
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