Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Bob Brown threatened with explusion from the Senate

Senator Bob Brown launched legal action some years ago to stop Forestry Tasmania sanctioning the destruction of Wielangta forest and many of the threatened species that live in it.

Bob won the initial court action which confirmed that forest and species destruction was occurring.

The Forestry Tasmania appealed and won. Now they are demanding that Bob pay their court costs of $240,000. Even though they are quite obviously still very much in the wrong.

If Bob doesn't pay then he may be expelled from the Senate.

You can contribute to help pay these outrageous court costs by either:

Internet bank transfer
Name of account: Bob Brown Forest Account
BSB No. 633 000
A/C No. 125 133 793
Name of person to be placed in the reference

Or - Cheque made payable to Bob Brown Forest Account GPO Box 404, Hobart, 7001.

I have sent my donation through tonight. Keep up the good fight Bob.

2 comments:

Ben Courtice said...

Two things really stink about this. Ignoring that no-one should have had to take private court action to save forests from destruction, which is the overriding concern, the undemocratic practices of Forestry Tasmania and the undemocratic practices of the Australian parliament. Demanding such a sum at such short notice looks like a political ploy; if they waited they might get more of the money, but removing Bob Brown from the senate would perhaps be more valuable to them. And that the Senate can dismiss a democratically elected Senator for bankruptcy (and bankruptcy in these circumstances) just shows how hollow our democracy is. It's like Forestry Tasmania have been given the power to dismiss Senators who don't please them.

Peter Campbell said...

I agree Ben. It seems our democratic system is open to undue influence from quasi government bodies such as Forestry Tasmania, and from industry influences. They have rigged the forests issue such that the Australian people's wishes to protect their forests are ignored. And they seek to shut down protest with SLAPP writs and by seeking punitive damages in Bob's case.