From The Mercury

Greens query protest clamp

PHILIPPA DUNCAN

November 29, 2006 12:00am

FEARS have been raised that forestry exclusion zones in Tasmania have turned into censorship zones following the "targeted" arrests of protesters with cameras.

A helicopter attempting to film forestry activities in the Weld Valley near Geeveston was recently ordered to leave a forestry exclusion zone.

The order and continued arrests of protesters with cameras have caused the Tasmanian Greens to question the zone's intention.

Yesterday, Greens leader Peg Putt asked Premier Paul Lennon to reveal the purpose of the Weld exclusion zone.

She said protesters with cameras had been singled out and video footage destroyed and a helicopter that could not interfere with operations ordered away.

"Who gave orders for police to preferentially arrest protesters with camera equipment and to destroy videotape?" she said.

"There is an orchestrated clampdown designed to ensure that disturbing images of ugly destruction of beautiful, pristine forest cannot be gotten to the outside world."

Mr Lennon said he did not know whether Ms Putt's assertions were "accurate" but suspected they were not.

He said the Police Commissioner or responsible officer probably would be responsible for giving orders to the arresting officers.

"I would be surprised if it was anybody else," he said.

He said Ms Putt should be ordering the protesters, who acted at Ms Putt's behest, out of the forests.

"Tasmania has made the most outstanding contribution to the protection of forests of anywhere on the planet," Mr Lennon said.

He said only small amounts of the Weld Valley were harvested to provide high-quality timber for fine furniture makers and craftspeople.

"Exclusion zones are provided for in these circumstances to protect people lawfully going about their work," he said.

Mr Lennon said Ms Putt wanted to shut down the Tasmanian forest industry, which would cause forests in places like the Solomon Islands, Sarawak and South America to "get trashed".

"In those areas of forest operations forestry practices are nowhere near as stringent as ours," he said.

Click here for the Greens press release & motion in parliament for the Weld Valley.