Forest Protest, Economic Sabotage, Australia

13 March 2013

A for­est protest in the Cen­tral High­lands is cost­ing con­trac­tors about $20,000 a day, accord­ing to the state Lib­er­als.

13 March 2013

A for­est protest in the Cen­tral High­lands is cost­ing con­trac­tors about $20,000 a day, accord­ing to the state Lib­er­als.

FlorentineProtest2_PhotoByEmmaCapp

Oppo­si­tion forestry spokesman Peter Gutwein described the protest, by up to 10 mem­bers of envi­ron­men­tal group Still Wild, Still Threat­ened, as a dis­grace­ful act of eco­nom­ic sab­o­tage.

The group is protest­ing in But­lers Gorge near Lake King William.

One pro­test­ers has chained them­self to a gate while anoth­er climbed into a tree sit.

Mr Gutwein said up to 20 work­ers were being denied access to their law­ful jobs.

“Rather than the weasel words offered yes­ter­day, if Labor were seri­ous about pro­tect­ing jobs and invest­ment, then they would act to stop this dis­grace­ful act of eco­nom­ic sab­o­tage,” Mr Gutwein said.

“What this shows is that no mat­ter how much Labor tries to appease the Greens, it will nev­er be enough. This so-called peace deal won’t bring ‘peace’. The protests won’t stop.”

Yes­ter­day, the gov­ern­ment con­demned the anti-log­ging protest in the World her­itage-nom­i­nat­ed for­est.

The pro­test­ers claim that a small num­ber of coupes were being har­vest­ed in areas nom­i­nat­ed for pro­tec­tion under the forestry peace deal.

How­ev­er, deputy pre­mier Bryan Green said the coupes were part of exist­ing har­vest­ing oper­a­tions to meet con­trac­tu­al wood sup­ply require­ments.