Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

The motion reads:

That the Senate congratulates the 10 000 or more Tasmanians who turned out in Launceston on Saturday, 16 June 2007 to protest against the proposed Gunns Limited pulp mill, for their civic pride, concern for the environment and peaceful expression of opinion in the best of democratic traditions.

Labor and, indeed, the government cannot have it both ways. If ever there was an expression of grassroots support for a cause—which is for the protection of the living environment and the forests in Tasmania and against the pulp mill—it was the 10,000 or more citizens of Tasmania who turned out in Launceston on Saturday. When the Premier, Paul Lennon, called a meeting in favour of the pulp mill some weeks ago, 47 people turned up. My submission here is that the people opposed to this pulp mill have every right to express that opinion peaceably, as they did.