Gunns attack on democracy : Melbourne Indymedia

“This is a broadscale attack on our Australian right to protest for the nation’s heritage. It is a US-style writ to hector the strongholds of the popular environment movement into silence and submission as Gunns’ chainsaws and poison destroys the Tasmanian forests and their wildlife at the greatest rate in history” Senator Brownsaid.

“I, for one, will never be cowed by JohnGay, RobinGray, their wealth or their power of destruction. They will not stop me from campaigning to save Australia’s heritage even if it means losing every penny, every home comfort, every peaceful night’s sleep life offers”.

“This whole attack by Gunns raises questions of my rights to campaign as a Senator and contempt for parliament”, Senator Brownsaid.

We are calling a silent vigil for free speech for Franklin Squarein Hobartfrom 12.30 – 1.30 tomorrow.

For more information: 03 62 341 633 or BenOquist, 0419 704 095

80% of the nation supports you Bob, but for free trades they look the other way.

Give us money bob, child allowances, finger the arse of GWB and turn the world upside down for wars against Muslims and pow, you could be batman too.

80 % of the popular population want oldgrowth forests to be saved...but then we are not represented by 80% of the governments action...so democracy aint working bob its a shame (sans e).

Sure demonstrate all you like 80% of the time about 80% of everything.

But do your self a favour bob, launch a porn site Bob, so you can pay Gunns action. You can apply for a new buisness grant and pr will supply the action.

THANKS to Bob Brown for getting onto this issue so quickly....
This is serious business for those activists in Tassie who have been campaigning against the corporate greed of mega-woodchipper Gunns Ltd. within the last few years.
If anyone ever thought we were isolated from the world down here in Tassie, this should be an eye opener. Now we have all the benefits of 'free trade', where a company like Gunns Ltd. can sue anyone for potentially damaging their profits. This isn't just one 'bad apple', this is what the whole world is experiencing. This isn't just an issue of trees, forests, or animals, this is also about social justice and not allowing corporate greed to destroy our communities.
Here is some more info on the situation from the local rag 'The Mercury':

Gunns sues
By ELLEN WHINNETT
Chief Reporter
15dec04

TIMBER giant Gunns Ltd is suing a group of environmentalists, protesters and Green MPs for $6.3 million.

The company has lodged a writ alleging a group of 20 individuals and groups damaged its business.

Green MPs Bob Brown and Peg Putt and a number of members of the Wilderness Society are among those named in the writ, lodged in the Supreme Court of Victoria.

The company is claiming damages for financial loss allegedly suffered as a result of protest actions.

Examples cited include:

# The Styx Valley tree-sit campaign last year.

# A protest and "lock-on" at the Triabunna woodchip mill.

# A letter-writing campaign which saw more than 7000 people write to Japanese woodchip customers urging them not to buy Gunns woodchips.

# A media campaign urging four major banks to end their association with Gunns.

# A lobbying campaign to have Gunns removed as a finalist from the Banksia Environmental Awards.

# A claim by the group Doctors for Forests that the Burnie woodchip pile could harbour legionella.

The court action angered environmentalists, who have vowed to step up their campaign, starting with a vigil in Hobart's Franklin Square today.

Gunns executive chairman John Gay said the company was taking the action to protect the interests of its employees, contractors and shareholders.

"Gunns Ltd and the majority of Tasmanians are sick and tired of the misleading information being peddled about our industry and our state," Mr Gay said.

"The company's claim includes allegations concerning risks to the health and safety of our employees and contractors, unauthorised entry to private property and damage to equipment owned by Gunns Ltd and our contractors.

"These activities have been going on for years and it is about time they were stopped."

The writ, lodged on Monday, comes ahead of a public consultation period on Gunns' proposed $1 billion pulp mill in northern Tasmania.

Gunns shares traded yesterday at $4.44.

Timber harvesters Robin and Heather Simons, trading as T and H Investments, have joined Gunns as plaintiffs.

In its statement of claim, Gunns alleges it has been the subject of a "campaign of interference and disruption" since 1999.

It says the campaign was aimed at injuring its business and the Wilderness Society and its members were involved in "guerilla tactics".

Specifically, Gunns alleges:

# An employee was assaulted seven times by protesters who pushed a camera into his face.

# Signs were erected on trees claiming Gunns was destroying communities.

# Machinery was sabotaged, with dirt or mud placed in the transmission of a bulldozer.

# Environmentalists "wrongfully and maliciously persuaded, induced and procured the Banksia Environmental Foundation to break the Banksia Award agreement".

This allegation relates to the decision by the Banksia Foundation to delist Gunns as an award finalist after threats of a boycott by environmental groups.

Senator Brown said the writ redoubled his resolve to raise concerns about Gunns activities.

"This is aimed at silencing the forest campaign and putting it out of action," he said.

"This is the huge power and might of Gunns using their woodchip profits to silence critics.

"It's the biggest broad-scale attack on the environmental movement in Australian history.

"This just doubles my resolve to fight for the forests."

A vigil will be held in Hobart's Franklin Square today between 12.30pm and 1.30pm.

Wilderness Society Tasmanian campaign co-ordinator Geoff Law said the Wilderness Society would fight the claims.

"We are currently seeking legal advice on the best means to proceed in the ongoing effort to protect Tasmania's old-growth forests," Mr Law said.

Premier Paul Lennon would not comment, nor would Liberal leader Rene Hidding.

But Denison Labor MHR Duncan Kerr said the writ was a "grievous wound on democracy".

"It is an extraordinary step in Australia for a major corporation to claim millions in damages from politicians, community groups and individuals protesting against current forestry practices," he said.

"It is a very dangerous precedent."

Mr Kerr said if citizens did not have the capacity to campaign against practices that were lawful but offensive to many in the community, the asbestos industry would probably still be in operation and restrictions on tobacco advertising and smoking would never have been implemented.

"Bob Brown and Peg Putt are democratically elected members of Parliament and now they face a massive legal fight because of their public campaigning on public issues," he said.

Tasmania's leading writer Richard Flanagan said the Gunns writ was "an appalling abuse of power by the most powerful in Tasmania".

"If Gunns' tactic was to succeed there would effectively be no right to dissent and free speech would exist in name only," Flanagan said.

"In Tasmania we have a state government that uses the political process to intimidate any who question, and we now have Gunns using the legal process to attempt the same end.

"Tasmanians ought be frightened because Gunns' greed seems to know no limits: they want not only our forests, but now our very silence.

"It is time decent Tasmanians stood up against this culture of fear and intimidation."

John Gay is a greedy selfish scumbag who should be first against the wall come the revolution if not before . The more gunn's try shit like this the more people on the side good will turn to not so legal practices to bring there operations to a halt. I can not stress enough the need to study up on monkey wrenching. N.V.D.A. doesnt appear to be working.

I recommend viewing the Corporation film out on DVD and to be shown on TV in its origianl 3 part of one hour each series. Gunns is so greedy they will eat their own too like Gay that is what power unaccountable does be it Hardies in Oz or Union Carbide in Bhopal...
With the Free Trade Agreement we can expect more SLAPP suits these are Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation which is used to waste activists time in court and restrain direct action welcome to US "politics"...
The SLAPP has not stopped direct action just made the strategy of some activists reconsidered. a good time of year to do some reflecting as next year unions are also up for Law attack and with no legal appeal to High Court (now also controlled by Howard Inc) the "peaceful assembly" (not a "picket") option if widespread enough will stretch the State and cut Corporate profists enough to bring change. Craig Johnston was the first of many to do time for the members (the right wing useless officials will be gone before Howard! only people prepared to fight need apply to become delegates and officials nowadays)
When they come for ya remember the maxim we are all Leaders.

These tactics have been big blow to US nonprofits, if the precedent is extended by Gunns expect even less oversight than at present.

They've (econ rationalists) already done over the refo's, the unemployed, unions, the disabled, pensioners & single mums, now they're coming for the abo's & the greenies.

The gig is fixed, kids, playing on their ground has become not merely incredibly hard work & hazardous to physical health but dangerous to longterm welfare.

Perhaps only remaining strategy is disengagement from consumer capitalism. Tax strikes, hyperconcious consumption, alternative currencies & relocalisation could free us of our interdependence with these mercantile fundamentalists, if we want it enough.

Not saying don't fight them, will do what i can to help myself, but don't bet everything on being able to extract justice from a system "whose superficial design flaws obscure its fundamental design errors".

It's about time the Greens were held accountable for their irresponsible actions and their lying and misinformation campaigns. They haven't stopped at the borders of decency and honesty during their campaigns against all forms of logging and this is what they deserve.

Merry Christmas Bob!!!! You've earned it!

this is not about bob or the greens and what they deserve...this is about democracy. this includes you.
do you want to be afraid?

If you see a Gunns outlet or owner... back away slowly, dont make eye contact.

from ABC rural news

Rick Snell, senior lecturer in law at the University of Tasmania, says it's an unusual move by Australian standards, and international experience suggests these cases are rarely successful.

"Success is very rare for corporations who bring these types of actions.

"On international statistics, it's running to over 70 per cent of these cases are lost by the corporation who brings them."

Charlie you've got alzeimers mate! In light of brownshirt bobs policies of censoring the internet the only ' action' he'll get from me is a swift kick up the rear. ( but not, now, till this little dust-up settles )
The bastard seems to have struck it lucky here in light of the Macca's trial ( remember that one! ) but these court proceedings tend to be personally enervating and so maybe we wont have Robert Brown to kick around for much longer?

I have to have hope - it's all I have left apart from the pron collection.

pr, temporarily no longer ' gunning' for BB.

First they ignore you

Then they laugh at you

Then they make a federal case out of it

THEN you win

ds u misinformed moron, what a fucking idiot, people like u make me sick. totally talentless, oh no my jobs at stake, u see I only know how to cut down trees and now these greenies are trying to stop me doing that, how the hell am I going to feed my family? what am I going to do now?

a tip to all u timber industry workers......pull your fucking heads out of the dirt and get a real job, dont u all see gunns are getting all the profits and u timber workers get fuck all......bloody ignorant tools.

gunns are not going to get away with this, just wait and see mr gay!!!!!!!!!!!

Took you're time,
Missed ya around the place, hope you're still as sick as ever. Bob's not so bad he's just very protective of children, loves em. and thre is nothing wrong with that.

On to related matters Adelaide's festival of light has just published a rightwing christian report on homosexuals. Thier facinating scientificaly prepared and anilitical report ( about as acurate as my spelling) say all queers are pedophiles. Nice one!

When I was a twinkle in my boyfriends eye my mum and dad said queers would love to touch me up. I misunderstood.

Any hoots, Festival of light suggests queers be prevented from obtaining positions of trust.

High wire sexual gratifycation?

No teachers soldiers and sailors doctors or politicians.

What a bunch of crackpots, what do you think pr

Heidi should declare her interest in all this. Grasping at straws won't help. Just behave, act like a normal human, make sure your friends urinate and defecate in the right places, and you'll be left alone.

'ds' should declare his interest in all this.

Readers of this site should be aware that 'ds, sb' is a paid lobbyist for the Forest Industries Association. Elsewhere he calls himself 'D Smith of Sandy Bay'.

What a hypocrite, what a deceiver, what a liar, what a twat!

He writes regularly on Hobart IndyMedia under numerous pseudonyms including "Brendan, XXX, David Smith, excel, and yyy and ggg".

Since hardly anyone agrees with his views, he manufactures these characters to 'support' his loopy views.

Rather than engaging in debate, he trots out the usual crap that paid forestry lobbyists are renown for-
1) Tasmanian forestry is 'World's Best Practice'- The BIG porky.
2) Greens tell lies- Implying forestry lobbyists would never.
3) Industry problems are the Greens' fault- Yes, there are problems for small mills getting good logs: of course, Gunns' practice of woodchipping valuable sawlogs is the Greens' fault.

In short, what 'Brendan D XXX Smith' and his snakey mates tell us is- "I'm always right, you're always wrong, and it was all your fault."

This guy really is a dickhead.

Check out his feeble bleatings at <http://www.active.org.au/hobart> and scroll to
1) Mc Gunns- 'ds' plays numerous characters here, including 'yyy' and 'ggg'.
2) 20 Gunns Salute-
3) Gunns attack on democracy-
4) Beyond TV Film Festival- See Brendan D XXX Smith go bananas when exposed as a fraud. He tries to fool the audience by posting as LONSKI (that's me).
5) Say NO! to Industrial Pesticide Regime- This is my favourite. Brendan D XXX Smith tells us poison spraying is good for everything, there are no problems whatsoever, and all dissenters are ungrateful commies!

I hope our friends outside Tasmania can get a little bit of a feel of the state of play of forestry politics here.

Forestry quite deliberately misinforms and disinforms. The kick backs are good.

Individuals and groups dissent; Gunns bang them with a $6 Million lawsuit to shut them up.

Gunns think they run Tasmania; and they're right!

I'm awaiting my Christmas package from Gunns (I told them I was a politician, and they said "Right, we'll send your family an untraceable share portfolio and a big box of alcohol to assist your impartial decision-making".

LONSKI