Thursday, 18 May 2023

 Ellen SANDELL (Melbourne) (09:54): This Saturday, 20 May, Labor’s extreme anti-democratic laws to jail logging protesters will come into effect. But I want to make it known that this government cannot and will not stop the community protesting the needless destruction of Victoria’s beautiful, precious native forests. Almost a year ago today the Victorian Labor government introduced some of the most draconian anti-protest laws in Australia’s history. Fearing that peaceful protesters might get in the way of the profits of the logging industry, Dan Andrews joined a wave of premiers across the country in making environmental protests illegal in this state. Protesters can now be threatened with a 12-month jail sentence or $21,000 in fines for simply walking into a logging area and daring to challenge the destruction of threatened species habitat.

Labor, the Liberals and the Nationals all joined together to support these new laws, ignoring the concerns of human rights groups, environmental groups and unions, who are all very troubled by this attack on Victorians’ freedom to protest. I want to express my solidarity with and gratitude and admiration for the environmentalists, citizen scientists and community groups who intend to protest this outrageous law this Saturday by peacefully walking into the forests. The Greens stand with you 100 per cent, and I am very proud to be joining you this Saturday to challenge these laws.