Gunns 20 Action -
Supreme Court Melbourne - Friday 15th January 2005|
Support the "Gunns 20". |
Scandalised Spouse takes stock of options A conscience is not easy company for a teetotaller with Commonwealth Bank shares who wants to go shopping yet keep to the moral high ground. The Spouse is in a quandary. She is so upset by the legal action taken by Gunns, the big Tasmanian logging company, against sundry environmentalists that she will never shop at Mitre 10 again, Mitre 10 [ Gunns Retail ] being a Gunns outfit ........ "Anyway, look on the bright side. You can give Mitre 10 a miss and you'll be making an ethical protest about Tasmania and WA all in one hit. But what about your Commonwealth Bank shares? You do realise that they rise and rise because of the excellent work done by Gunns on your behalf?" ........ "You see, if you were to take to the grog, you could not buy Tamar Ridge wine. Gunns own the Tamar Ridge wine, but you can only boycott it if you first start drinking it."........ MELBOURNE AGE... |
GUNNS 20
On December 14th 2004, a
nervous young man entered Senator Brown's Hobart office and served him with a
writ. This was the start of what will be a mammoth legal battle over Tasmania's
ancient forests. Gunns Pty Ltd served writs on 20 individuals and organisations,
including the Wilderness Society, Doctors for Forests, the Huon Valley
Environment Centre, Peg Putt MHA and Senator Brown. The 219 page document
alleges that these 20 conservationists have damaged Gunns's profits and
reputation to the tune of $6.4 million dollars. Gunns Ltd is the biggest
native-forest logging company in Australia and the biggest hardwood-chip company
in the world. Gunns have logging operations throughout the state, impacting on
areas such as The Tarkine, Styx Valley, Weld Valley and The Blue Tier.
SENATOR BOB BROWN...