Hardline approach suggested for protestorsFriday 13 Dec 2013 In a hardline Australian first, environmental protesters who enter Tasmanian workplaces will face mandatory jail terms under a Liberal government. In a key platform of the Liberals' forestry policy, "illegal" protesters would also be hit with AU$10,000 on-the-spot fines - a 26-fold increase - for "invading” a workplace.Under the crackdown, corporations that "incite or encourage this illegal behaviour" would attract fines of up to AU$100,000. Kick-starting his party's election campaign this week, Opposition Leader Will Hodgman said: “We will send a very clear and strong message to people who engage in illegal protests and who cost Tasmanians jobs. Under the Liberals there will be no get-out-of-jail-free card if you repeatedly invade a workplace”. The tough law-and-order stance comes just months out from the next state election. It also coincides with the federal government's reaffirmed pledge to unwind the landmark Tasmanian forest peace deal that was meant to end three decades of forestry warfare. Under the protest policy, first-time offenders who enter or impede access to a workplace will face on-the-spot fines of AU$10,000. Second-time offenders will serve three-month mandatory jail terms at a minimum. Fines of up to AU$50,000 and five years' jail could be slapped on protesters who damage property. Environmental organisations that encourage such behaviour could face a crippling AU$250,000 fine. Mr Hodgman said protesters would also be liable to pay for any economic loss caused by their actions. Tasmania is not the only jurisdiction cracking down on activists. Victoria's Liberal government has proposed AU$3000 fines for people protesting in logging coupes and AU$8660 fines for ignoring an exclusion order. Source: Tasmania Examiner |
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